Flickers 
Robin 
sinking 
Building 
Song flight 
of Phoebe 
Large 
colony of 
Bronzed 
Grackles 
not distinguishable, I think, from that made by the Downy 
Woodpecker. 
A Robin singing steadily in a river maple at 9 A. M. 
sat crouched low on branch, its head turned to one side as 
if it were frightened or listening. I watched it for several 
minutes during which it did not change its attitude percept¬ 
ibly. A female Robin in another place was collecting dry 
grass for its nest and already had in its bill a bunch much 
larger than its head. 
A Phoebe made three song flights within as many 
minutes, starting from and returning to the top of an elm 
by the river at some distance from any possible nesting- 
place. It rose twenty or thirty feet nearly straight up¬ 
ward, uttering as it ascended first a chip , chip , chip . chip , 
chip (very like the quit of Empidonax minimus fL^sr 
then running this with chip-per , chip-per , chipper , winding 
up with phoebee , phoebee , phoebee , phoebee . At the termina¬ 
tion of the song it closed its wings and shot down like an 
arrow to its former perch. This happened about 9 A. M. 
There is a very large colony of Bronzed Grackles 
on Judge Hoar's place this year. I counted 48 as they flew 
from an apple tree into the cluster of pines where they 
breed. At evening they were scattered about on the lawn, 
feeding. 
Martins 
There were five or six Martins in the boxes above 
Nashawtuek Bridge, and twice as many House Sparrowsl The 
Martins are evidently being crowded out. 
