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garden, four eggs therein. Noisy Wrens are here; they always let you know 
when they arrive. Heard a pair of “jay-thiefs” fly over. A pair of swallows 
are in the barn. Robins are building their second nest. Best time for 
observing birds is just about daylight—not so many of their enemies are 
about. Kingbirds are around. The Starlings have left their elm tree. 
What happened to their young—never saw them come out? Perhaps they 
were drowned in their hollow as there was not much cover over their home 
after the ice storm. 
June 8. Three baby Thrashers are in the nest from four eggs; have 
very rapid respirations. The Catbird is building in the arbor vitae tree. 
June 11. Five Goldfinches feeding among the flowers, two males and 
three females. No cute black caps on the females, but their white wing 
bar shows more. 
June 12. The Catbird has three eggs in the nest. It is fastened to the 
wire fence on one side. Took a look at the baby Thrashers and got “biffed” 
on the head two or three times by the irate mama. 
June 14. Thrashers are out and gone. One egg didn’t hatch and was 
still in the nest; Nature is not always sure-fire. Lots of sputtering about 
by the parents, lots of strawberries eaten. 
June 15. Two baby Catbirds in the nest. Been hearing the Cuckoo in 
the trees; sounds like a clucking hen. Must be some baby Song Sparrows 
as they are carrying food. 
June 16. Hay-making time. Blackbirds long since gathered in flocks. 
Eight Robins took off from the strawberry bed. They are after the rasp- 
berries also. Are the sparrows having fun! Nearly every morning I see 
a flock settle near an open glass tobacco jar in the flowers. One will land 
inside and the others will peck at him on the glass. This will go on for 
some time until something disturbs them. The Wren is building again; 
must be her second or third nesting period. The choke cherry tree is 
stripped of fruit before the cherries are ripe. Now I know we didn’t plant 
it for jelly. Birds love the “Choke and the Poke.” 
July 30. The Cuckoo is still about, or rather three of them, one baby. 
Saw one take three tent caterpillars from the elm, one after another. He 
would hold it in his beak and shake the fur off, then swallow it. Black- 
birds are a pest now; thousands, it seems, land in the trees and annoy us © 
with their calls. Wrens still feeding a nest of young. 
August 15. Blackbirds landing on the oat shocks, on the corn stalks 
and in trees. 
September 6. Blackbirds still going south in the evening, north in the 
morning to the timber lands, skirting the farmyards. 
September 19. Hummingbirds on the delphiniums and false dragon- 
head. One particular bird claims this as his stamping ground. He drives 
a smaller one away in a grand fight. Up and down, biffing each other until 
the smaller one leaves and the victor takes his rest on the lowest branch 
of the elm tree. 
September 20. Blue Jays are passing by, resting and “thiefing” before 
