14 TeH Et A Usp. BrOuNg@ {B CUCE Eyre gee 
ited St. Mark’s refuge, on the gulf coast south of Tallahassee, while staying 
several days at Wakulla Springs. They found 94 species March 29 and 92 
on March 30, although most of the ducks that winter at St. Mark’s were 
gone. Red-cockaded woodpeckers, brown-headed nuthatches, swallow-tailed 
kites, Hudsonian curlews, purple gallinules, ospreys, bald eagles, least bit- 
terns, and clapper rails were among the finds there. Wakulla produced 
limpkins, anhingas, ospreys, bald eagles, pileated woodpeckers, and a barred 
owl. 
They also took a boat from Clewiston and saw the rare Everglades kite 
Not in Florida, but just north of Birmingham, Ala., on the return trip, they 
saw a Mississippi kite also. 
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Rockford Field Trip 
The Society’s first post-war field trip was a success, those who partici- 
pated agree, and we hope to have more. About 50 persons showed up at the 
Rockford rendezvous Sept. 18, fewer than we had hoped for, but satisfac- 
tory in view of the threatening skies under which most started from home. 
The weather cleared and the day proved ideal for an outing. Various clubs 
and cities throughout northern Illinois were represented and the North 
Central Illinois Ornithological society, of Rockford, our host for the occa- 
sion, had a well planned program for the day. 
Donald Prentice, tour leader and retiring president of the Rockford 
group, and Paul Boynton, president-elect, thought the local birds were less 
cooperative than they might have been, but what one of us has ever taken 
guests to a favorite birding spot and had all the ones we knew were there 
show up on schedule? Birds just don’t do that, and this is part of what 
makes birding the fun it is. A good list was compiled, including at least 13 
species of warblers, six sparrows including the Lincoln’s and the clay- 
colored, five woodpeckers, five hawks, and a winter wren whom few would 
fail to count as a find in September. 
The tour included visits to the fish hatchery, the Seth Atwood estate, the 
Hononegah forest preserve where picnic lunch was served by our Rockford 
hosts, and the E. W. Green Security lake property. 
More such field trips should be planned in various parts of the state, 
not only to acquaint members with new birding areas but, more important, 
to acquaint members with each other and with other groups and individuals 
with similar interests throughout Illinois so that we can better work to- 
gether in the interests of sound conservation and the enjoyment of nature. 
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A Christmas Gift Suggestion 
For the bird students on your Christmas shopping list we suggest a 
membership in the Illinois Audubon Society. Send us the names and ad- 
dresses with your remittance not later than Dec. 20. We will write a letter 
with your Christmas greeting to those you select and mail them a copy of 
the December issue of the Audubon Bulletin. 
