BIRDS OF NORTHEASTERN IOWA 
71 
edge of the timber belt, I have for years noted an increase in num- 
bers in late fall, and their notes are a familiar sound in the snow- 
bound timber during the winter, A slight migratory movement would 
be indicated. Over a period of years I have noted a fluctuation in 
summer residents. 
ACADIAN b CATCHER, htnpifftnntj' vlrrxccti.s. a tolerably common 
summer resident. A denizen of dark ravines and thick timber, this 
bird is a difficult one for sight identification. Happily, its peculiar 
notes are a diagnostic feature, especially its explosive sneeze, like 
“pee-yuk, seemingly given with great difficulty, with trembling wings 
and with the bill pointed straight up. Choosing two years when I was 
quite active in the field, during May, June, July and August in 1928, 
1 lound this flycatcher on 33 days. In 1929 for the same period I 
found it on 22 days. The area covered was heavy timber south of 
Oiard, in Clayton County. For a considerable number of years, mostly 
in the month of August. Dr. Charles R. Keyes has observed nests of 
the year in the area bordering the Mississippi River in both Clayton 
and Allamakee Counties. 
TUFTED TITMOUSE, Bnmlaphtix hi color. Seldom met with and re- 
mains uncommon in this area. I have but one summer record and only 
a lew for winter. Though my records are not numerous. 80 percent 
are for the months of October, November and December. 
CAROLINA WREN. Thrpothnnix fittloricitninx huh vidua tut. A summer 
resident in small numbers, there being one positive breeding record 
near Waukon Junction in Allamakee County, July 27. 1934. All recent 
records are restricted to the Mississippi shore line in Allamakee County. 
n v^iV'ioin 8, 1 Saw a palr at the same site of the 1934 nesting. 
k ^ one was ; seen one-half mile south of Waukon Junction 
by F. J Pierce, Rev. M. C. Melcher and me. On May 9, 1941, at the 
same place, two were heard singing by Rev. Melcher, Walter Pike and 
me. Spring and fall records in the interior are very uncommon. Miss 
a n/ eW N ? tlo " al ' an <l I had one at Oiard, September 22, 
192o, these both in Clayton County 
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. Polio ptila caenth-a cowth-a. A regular 
summer resident, which T have found to be decidedly local. I have 
found it on the river bluffs, both north and south of McGregor at 
?J a t r i? Ration on Bloody Run Creek, in a dry hollow one-half mile 
County * Giardf and on the Turke ^ R iver near Elkader, all in Clayton 
P ROT HO NOTARY WARBLER, Protouoiorift citna. A common sum- 
*° n ‘ th ,t M / ssissippi bottoms - One of the most accessible 
£ i/lfmit * r m he l0 ^r Wet ^ rea at the mouth of the Yellow River 
n Allamakee County. Ellison Orr noted nestings here since the earlv 
years of the century. Three birds were seen here on May II 1939 
by C. Melcher, F. J. Pierce and me. ' ' 
KENTUCKY WARBLER, Oporornis for moans. The historv of this 
warbler ,n this area begins in 1923, when, on August 8 three birds 
were ob, d th nver shore i, ne one mile south of _\j c Q regor in 
Clayton County, by Leroy Titus Weeks and Chas. J. Spiker Eight 
days later a specimen was collected but not preserved. Sixteen velrs 
passed without any further records appearing. Recent observations 
indicate that the species is of tegular occurrence along the river shore 
line in both counties. Together with F. J. Pierce and Rev. M C 
T I in^H er ' l - d An° ver f d a _ sin 8r ,n & bir(l one-half mile south of Waukon 
unction, in Allamakee County, on May 11, 1939. The song was loud 
and clear. In pitch and rapidity it resembled the Ovenbird’s^chant and 
in tone quality it was somewhat similar to certain notes of the Carolina 
ULen which we heard at the same place. The locality is wild and 
heavily wooded. It lies at the foot of steep river bluffs which are 
surmounted by sheer rocky precipices and broken only by The single 
