70
Concord, Mass.
1913.
Aug. 26
to
Nov. 13
(No 21)

55. Acanthis linaria. - First noted in the early morning of November 6 [November 6, 1913]
when the chattering flight call was heard repeatedly in
Birch Field mingling with the calls of Pine Linnets.
Four birds of each species were seen here together 
feeding in the top of a gray birch on its abundant 
seeds, on November 25 [November 25, 1913] when the flight call of the
Redpolls was also heard elsewhere at intervals 
throughout the day. Between the 15th [November 15, 1913] and 22nd [November 22, 1913] I
found Redpolls very numerous at Bethel, Maine,
indicating that the flight, this autumn, is general
(or will be) throughout most of New England.

  56. Spinus tristis. - Early in September many Goldfinches appeared
daily close about our farm house attracted by the
seeds of sun flowers on which they fed greedily
& ceaselessly until the supply was quite exhausted.
Sometimes there were upwards of a dozen birds, mostly
young, assembled in a cluster of sunflowers growing
close to the old barn. The adult males were then
still in summer plumage, worn & faded, however.
Throughout the month the young remained about the
place frequenting the apple orchard after the sunflower
seeds were all eaten and calling almost incessantly
at all hours of the day, uttering the sweet, plaintive
may-be notes which are especially associated with
this season, as well as with late August, and which are
ever most pleasing & grateful to hear. By
October 4 [October 4, 1913] the old males had begun changing to
winter plumage which was almost fully perfected
a month later. After the middle of October
the birds frequented gray birch covers chiefly feeding
on the birch seeds in small flocks