WINTER BIRDS 7 



although at times through the winter when 

 it is open we may catch a glimpse of one 

 floating on its icy waters. 



Toward sunset we may hear the "quawk " 

 of a night heron as he flies over, or at 

 the fireside be startled by the whinny of a 

 screech or the hoot of a barred owl perched 

 on a dead stub and whose outline is traced 

 against the cold moonlight of a winter's 

 sky. 



"Or Arctic creature, dimly stirred 

 By tropic hint, — some travelled bird 

 Imported to the wood. 



Far back in September, when the summer 

 foUage was just changing to its autumn 

 splendor, we welcomed our first north- 

 ern winter visitor, the snow bird, and on 

 throughout the cold season he will be one 

 of our closest friends and we shall bid 

 him farewell in early May with regret 

 although his place be filled with many a 

 gayer songster. We met on our ramble 

 the brown creeper who is really a visitor 

 from the north, and beyond the very few 

 that spend the summer with us here in 

 certain localities in Massachusetts, the 

 majority do not arrive within our woods 

 until October. 



