27 



On the coast no scarcity was noted among the water birds, 

 which had been driven out by the ice from most of the lakes 

 and ponds. Open holes in the rivers, springs and swift-run- 

 ning, unfrozen streams were visited night and day by wild 

 fowl. Murres, Guillemots, Razor-billed Auks and Dovekies 

 were reported. 



Geese Wintering. — Canada Geese were wintering in large 

 numbers on the southern coast of Nova Scotia, and Geese and 

 Brants still remained in large flocks south of Cape Cod. Snowy 

 Owls appeared in the west, but very few were reported in 

 New England. Hairy Woodpeckers were not nearly so com- 

 mon in New England as during the winter of 1918-19, but 

 appeared in increasing numbers in some Canadian localities. 



The great flock of Cowbirds on Cape Cod had disappeared 

 late in December, but smaller flocks of 50 to 100 birds re- 

 mained during January, and a few were noted on Block Island, 

 Rhode Island, and Long Island, New York. Large flocks of 

 Red-winged Blackbirds were seen on Cape Cod early in the 

 month, a few Catbirds and some Rusty Blackbirds in other 

 parts of Massachusetts. Bohemian Waxwings were noted in 

 numbers in Ontario and Quebec. One or two Mockingbirds 

 were seen near Boston during the month, and Red-breasted 

 Nuthatches were scattered through the eastern Canadian 

 Provinces and south to southern New England. 



February. 

 Winter reached its climax during the first week of February, 

 which began with the lowest temperature of the season, and 

 ended with the greatest snowfall. On February 1 temper- 

 atures as low as 40 to 54 degrees below were reported in 

 northern New England. On that day immense flocks of Snow 

 Buntings appeared in northern Vermont, and great flocks of 

 Evening Grosbeaks moved southward. In some of the valleys 

 of northern Vermont snow was reported 7 feet deep. Snow- 

 storms continued until in Massachusetts the snow varied in 

 depth from 2 to 5 feet, according to locality and exposure. 

 This succession of storms lasted generally until about the 12th 

 and proved very destructive to bird life. Along the south- 



