16 Th EeeA UU DrUrBIOWN, SBI Eee 
Notes from a Bird-Bander 
After the warblers leave in October, November through February are 
the slow months of bird-banding here at 2908 Edison st., Blue Island, II. 
However, this winter being so open and mild, several visitors have been 
trapped and banded. 
On Nov. 20 a white-throated sparrow and a song sparrow were trapped. 
A downy woodpecker feeds daily at the suet hopper, but when the traps are 
set doesn’t seem to come around. Tree sparrows are also around but just 
look at the traps. The starlings are too smart and the English sparrows 
are in and out of the traps all the time. 
On Dec. 18 a brown thrasher was seen early in the morning. I rushed 
out and set up additional traps, but it did not come back to see what an 
array of food was set out. Dec. 28 a male flicker was trapped and banded. 
I was really surprised to catch it, because I had not seen it around. 
Jan. 5 the temperature was down to 18 and I again saw the thrasher, 
this time about a block from my station. It appeared in good health and 
was enjoying the cold sitting high in a bush. Another song sparrow was 
trapped at noon, and trapping the thrasher was forgotten. Finally, Jan. 9, 
the thrasher ventured to 2908 Edison and I trapped it with a female 
cardinal in a one-cell trap nearby. What a record — a thrasher banded 
in January! It was found to be in good health, and on being released flew 
to a nearby bush, then across the road. I haven’t seen it since. It was 
around this area 22 days. 
A robin has been seen nearby, but as yet (Jan. 24) hasn’t found the 
abundance of food waiting. Due to the fact that we have had little deep 
snow, few juncos and tree sparrows came in to feed. They prefer weed 
seeds in the fields. — ALFRED H. REusSs 
ft ft ft 
Society Sponsors Tea 
After the success of the get-acquainted tea held by the Society in Janu- 
ary, 1949, the directors felt it worth while to have another one this year. 
The tea took place from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29, in the Art Insti- 
tute of Chicago’s clubroom, and drew approximately twice the number of 
members and guests who attended the year before—120 persons. 
Dr. R. M. Strong, president, gave a short address of welcome and intro- 
duced the directors present. He also made a plea for action against the cut- 
ting down of shrubs in Chicago’s parks, and suggested that as many letters 
as possible be written to Gov. Henry F. Schricker of Indiana protesting the 
plan of building an industrial harbor at the mouth of Burns ditch, a stream 
that empties into Lake Michigan in Indiana’s sand dunes country, near the 
Indiana Dunes State park. He asserted that the plan would ruin a large 
section of the unspoiled duneland so famous for its plants, birds, and other 
wildlife, and undoubtedly would contaminate lake water in the area. Dr. 
Strong reported the harbor is not necessary from an industrial standpoint. 
Two motion pictures in color, “Birds in Winter” and “Birds of the Inland 
Waterways” were shown by Miss Harriet Smith, of the Chicago Natural 
History museum staff. 
