ee UU eB ONS RB Ue Bet. IN 15 
At that time the reason advanced for their appearance here was drouth 
in the southern part of the state. They are mud feeders, and since the 
ponds in the lower areas had dried up the egrets came into northern Illinois 
where the drouth had not been so severe as to eliminate their feeding 
grounds. 
Similar conditions exist this year, with drouth in most of southwestern 
Illinois and adjacent areas. Still we have heard no report of any of these 
pure white herons coming in for a visit. 
The shortage of egrets this fall is being somewhat offset by the early 
migration of ducks. Gordon Pearsall and John Jedlicka of the Cook County 
forest preserve district are trapping and banding migrant ducks every day 
in McGinnes slough of Palos Park. They report that since late August 
they have been trapping, banding, and releasing 50 to 125 ducks every day. 
The species now coming thru northern Illinois include mallards, black ducks, 
pintails, and both green-winged and blue-winged teal—Ben Markland in 
“Day by Day on the Farm,” Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 23, 19438. 
f «© 2a 
Christmas Census Reports 
SUCH REPORTS as have been received this year center about the Chicago 
area and, while they cover but a small portion of the state, are given for 
the interest they may have for our readers. 
Blue Island, Cook County. In the vicinity of Blue Island, Oak Hill 
banding’ station, and fields west of Blue Island; December 21 to January 1; 
ground bare; temperature ranged from 15° to 35°; birds listed show largest 
number of individuals observed in any one day: 1 sharp-shinned hawk, 
1 red-shouldered hawk, 1 marsh hawk, 14 bob-whites, 7 pheasants, 200 
herring gulls, 2 barn owls, 2 hairy woodpeckers, 7 downy woodpeckers, 
11 blue jays, 8 crows, 5 black-capped chickadees, 5 tufted titmice, 2 white- 
breasted nuthatches, 4 brown creepers, 5 golden-crowned kinglets, 300 
starlings, 75 English sparrows, 2 cowbirds, 7 cardinals, 22 goldfinches, 
20 juncos, 60 tree sparrows, 5 song sparrows; total, 24 species, 761 indi- 
viduals. Other observations of interest were a bluebird on Dec. 1; 3 robins, 
Dec. 2; repeat on a banded swamp sparrow, Dec. 3; 2 red-wings, Dec. 3; 
flicker banded Dec. 4; mockingbird banded Dec. 5; white-throated sparrow 
banded in Blue Island and released in Oak Hill, Dec. 10; flicker seen in 
Blue Island, Dec. 17; a male and female cowbird were seen along the creek 
just north of Oak Hill, Jan. 1—Karl E. Bartel. 
Chicago, Cook County. Calumet Lake along Doty Ave.; Dec. 29, 12:00 
to 12:30 P.M.; cloudy; temperature 32°; lake frozen over except small part 
of south end; six miles by car: 1 marsh hawk; 1 sparrow hawk; 2000 
herring gulls; 200 starlings; 75 English sparrows; 1 redwing; total, 6 
species, 2278 individuals.—Karl E. Bartel. 
Chicago, Cook County. In vicinity of Mt. Hope and Mt. Greenwood 
cemeteries; Dec. 25, 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.; ground bare; west wind; 
temperature 40°; cloudy; 2 miles on foot and 5 miles by car: Mt. Hope, 
