14
Spring and early summer.
Concord, Mass
1913.

Nest of Brown Creeper

13. Brown Creeper. In March I noted Creepers - a single bird each time -
on the 19th [March 19, 1913], 22nd [March 22, 1913] and in April on the 3rd [April 3, 1913], 4th [April 4, 1913], 15th [April 15, 1913], 23rd [April 23, 1913], 24th [April 24, 1913] and
25th [April 25, 1913]. The bird met with on the last date was in full song at
intervals through the forenoon in Pulpit Rock woods where I hoped it
might be about to breed but never saw or heard it again. On
May 17 [May 17, 1913] S.O. Dexter [Smith Owen Dexter] met with a singing male in the old growth woods
on the hillside on Fairyland. Next day (18th May [May 18, 1913]) the nest of this
bird was found by Walter Faxon under a scale of loose bark
attached to the trunk of a big dead oak. The pair succeeded in
hatching & rearing their book [brood] which was seen, just after they
had left the nest on June    by Mr. Faxon (see his letter to me).

14. House Wren. This year, as last, we were blessed by the presence
of two breeding pairs of wrens at the farm. The first bird was
noted on April 29 [April 29, 1913] scolding at a Swallow sitting on a bird house on a
pole over grape arbor in front of house where a pair of Wrens nested
last year. On May 3 [May 3, 1913] a [male] Wren in full song was seen to enter and emerge
from this box repeatedly. On May 12 [May 12, 1913] I saw two birds together near this box.
During the next few days they were seen there constantly striving for
its possession with the Tree Swallows in many a hotly contested
scrimmage which always ended with the discomfitase [discomfit] & retreat of
the Wrens. The Swallows seemed to be animated by a 'dog-in-the-
manger' spirit for all the while they had their nest in another box
by the big forsythia thicket near the wall, although they had earlier
in season, taken some straw and feathers into the box over the arbor.
Failing to secure possession of the latter at this time the Wrens
turned their attention to a third box of similar design on a short
brick pole attached to the eastern gable end of our wood shed. In
this they began building on May 19 [May 19, 1913] reducing the size of 1 1/2" [inch] diam [diameter]
entrance hole by several protruding sticks as is their wont. We
saw them daily entering, or leaving, or close about, this box during