56 WHE AUDUBON SBOE Eelam 
Port Kyron 
Mr. J. J. Schafer again reports some of his valuable observations 
from his area along the Mississippi River in northwestern Illinots. 
Starlings raised two broods of young in our orchard last summer. 
‘Their first nest was in a Flicker’s hole in an old apple tree. After the 
young Starlings left the nest on May 18, a pair of Flickers took possession 
and raised a brood of young in it. The Starlings’ second nest was in a 
Woodpecker’s hole in the next row of apple trees, about 30 feet from the 
first nest. The young left on June 24. In another limb on the same tree, 
English Sparrows raised a brood of young, and seemed to get along very 
well with the Starlings. Starlings are very quiet, are poor singers and are 
very shy. We saw them looking at the Martin house several times and 
at a Flicker’s box, but when they saw us watching them they left. 
On June 23, my brother shot a large bull snake which was gliding 
around and hunting birds on the limbs of a spruce tree in our frent yard. 
I noticed the snake when I saw some birds darting at it on a limb about 
10 feet from the ground. We shot another large bull snake in the same 
tree several years ago when it was trying to swallow a young Robin. 
Cliff Swallows built 168 nests under the eaves on our barn this year, 
and were very successful with their young; most of them raised two breods, 
and none of the young fell out of their nests. 
My Christmas census was taken on December 27 and is as follows: 
Fields and woods three to five miles southeast of Port Byron; 8:20 to 10:15 
A. M., and 12:15 to 2:30 P. M. Clear; ground bare; wind south, mod- 
erate; temperature 27 degrees to 45 degrees. Six miles on foot. Rough- 
legged Hawk, 1; Bob-white, 25 (two coveys) ; Screech Owl, 1; Great 
Horned Owl, 1; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Red-headed Woodpecker, 
50; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Prairie Horned Lark, 
1; Blue Jay, 7; Crow, 10; Chickadee, 18; Tufted Titmouse, 14; White- 
breasted Nuthatch, 7; Brown Creeper, 1; Starling, 3; English Sparrow, 
2); Cardinal, 1; Redpoll, 2; Junco, 35; Tree Sparrow, 30a eee 
species, about 243 individuals. Other species seen during December were 
Bluebird, Marsh Hawk, Flicker and Blackbirds. 
Athens 
Mr. Watson Hall again reports for his area and draws a contrast 
with former years. 
Four American Egrets were seen between 5:30 and 6 A. M., July 12. 
‘Iwo were together and stopped for a moment in a grove of pines before 
continuing. All were flying rather “aimlessly” northwest, and low enough 
so their yellow bills and black legs were clearly visible. An old settler 
said they were the only “White Herons” he had ever seen here. 
