6 THE AU DU BON! BU (ele ie 
Autumn Days Afield 
By Amy G. BALDWIN 
MANY BOOKS have been written on the migration of the wild birds as they 
come north in the spring in their beautiful nuptial colors for their mating 
cycle, then the rearing of their broods and the molting which changes them 
so that some of them, such as the bobolink, are hardly to be recognized. 
This is a very fascinating study, especially to those who follow these migra- 
tions from year to year. We should like to say that this or that bird departs 
on a certain day each year, but when the records are examined we find 
variations through the years. 
This year I have been following the chimney swifts to see what my 
last date would be. Each trip into the field through September I saw them. 
Basen Owl 
On September 29 I thought that would be the last; but October 5 gave me 
a later date than the one set as the “late date” in the “Birds of the Chicago 
Region.” Why should the swallows and martins leave us the first of 
September while the swift spends the whole month with us, staying even 
into October? 
While out for a field trip by auto on September 19, we stopped at Oak 
Hill Cemetery for a few minutes as we have found many interesting birds 
there from time to time. Finding a tree with a large hole, I tapped on the 
trunk to see if we might stir up an owl. Nothing happened for two or three 
minutes, and then, when we had given up expecting it, out flew a barn owl. 
Though we saw his back and broad wings, we failed to see his face, for 
which we were very sorry. 
