The Hermit Thrush as a Summer Resident of Long Island, N. Y.— 



Late in the afternoon of July 13, 1908, while walking along the road be- 

 tween Holbrook and Patchogue, L. I., about two miles from the latter 

 place, I heard a Hermit Thrush {Hylocichla guttata pallaaii) singing at a 

 distance of about a hundred yards from the road. After stalking it for 

 more than half an hour I was able to secure a good view of the bird with an 

 opera-glass and complete the identification, although the song, with which 

 I was familiar, had been unmistakable from the first. Meantime the bird 

 had been singing continually, except when I would disturb it by approach- 

 mg too closely. I am quite certain that I heard one other Hermit Thrush 

 singing in the vicinity at the same time. 



The locality is densely grown with young white oaks {Qmrcus alba) 

 eachmg a height of perhaps twenty or twenty-five feet, together with a 

 few scattered pitch pines (Pinus rigida). The underbrush is composed 

 largely of short blueberry bushes. The place is only forty feet above sea 

 level, and three miles distant from Great South Bay. 



This seems to be the first adult Hermit Thrush observed on Long Island 

 durmg the breeding seasoii, though there are two previous records for 

 mmiature bu-ds (Butcher, Auk, 111, 188(3, pp. 44B, 444, and uraisim, auk, 

 XXIV, 1907, pp. 186-189). Dr. Braislin, in the reference just cited, says, 

 "Further investigation will probably show that the Hermit Thrush is, 

 though rare, a regular smnmer resident on Long Island." — Fkancis 

 Haepee, College Point, N. Y. 



Ank 2«s,oct.i908,p. 



A Colony of Hermit Thrushes at Taphank, Long Island, N. Y.— On 



the afternoon of the 25th of July, 1908, I heard an unfamiliar bird song 

 in the woods at the easterly end of the village of Yaphank, not far from 

 the middle of Long Island. Upon investigation I found several of the 

 birds, but as they sang from the tops of the pines or other trees, it was 

 difficult for me to secure a good view with my glass. Early the next morn- 

 ing I was more fortunate, and secured a much better view of a rather tame 

 bird, and was convinced that I had to do with Hermit Thrushes {Hylocichla 

 guttata pallasi) resident on Long Island in mid-summer. This idea, how- 

 ever, was not strengthened by an examination of the literature, and it 

 seemed from the records . quite improbable that a colony of Hermit 

 Thrushes should reside so far south as Yaphank, Long Island, and only 

 40 feet above the level of the sea. 



Later I read with interest the article by Mr. Francis Harper in 'The Auk' 

 for October, 1908, wherein he records a Hermit Thrush singing in the woods 

 between Holbrook and Patchogue, Long Island. He also mentions the 

 two previous Long Island records for immature birds and quotes from Dr. 

 Braislin that, "Further investigation will probably show that the Hermit 

 Thrush is, though rare, a regular summer resident on Long Island." 



From observations made during July, 1909, 1 may state that the Hermit 

 Thrush is one of the most common birds at Yaphank, and that I have 

 heard as many as four singing at one time. On one occasion on the 31st of 

 the month, one sang for over an hour with only momentary intermissions 

 caused by its changing its position among the trees, or by my approaching 

 too near. It, however, was a tame bird, and vei-y accommodating. I 

 found that the thrushes were not only abundant in the pitch pine and oak 

 •woods at the easterly end of the village, but that they were to be met with 

 in the woods several miles to the north, in the vicinity of Longwood manor 

 house. This district appears then to be the chief summer home of the 

 Hermit Thrush on Long Island, and the ornithologist may with certainty 

 expect to hear this fine songster if he but repair to Yaphank at the proper 

 season.— Wm. T. Davis, New Brighton, Siaten Island, N. Y. , 



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