Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/188

 A Woodcock at Home

By E. G. TABOR

wan Dhulnuuphs rm.“ tulurr I» "It mm".

OR some time it has been the desire of the writer to make photographs of the bird. nest

and eggs of the American \Voorl- cockr Consequently. when a friend wrote me that he had found a nest containing four eggs I was more than pleased. and Tuesday, May 17, 1904. found me on the ground armed with my ‘I’remo' and a good supply of Seed's fastest plates.

The nest was situated in a swampy corner of a ﬁeld planted with corn. only six feet from the open, on a slightly raised portion of the ground, This corner was over- grown with black ash, soft maple. tag alders and fetus. mingled with poison ivy and equally poisonous mosquitoes.

Photograph No. I was taken with single lens, the camera stand- ing in the ﬁeld: all the others were made with the regular lens. I’hoto- graph No. 2 was taken after moving the camera so as to get a side view. Number 3, of the nest and eggs, I obtained next. but not until I had touched the bird twice with my hand to ﬂush her off the nest: and. wishing her the best of success in her strenuous duties, I then went away from the place. Returning on Friday, May 20. just to see how matters were progressing, I was delighted to ﬁnd awaiting me what you discover in photograph No 4. I then withdrew, and two hours later I approached the nest again. only to find that all the young had left it I tried to locate them, and, although Icrawled all over the patch and looked in every nook and corner. behind and under every leaf and bush. I was unable to ﬁnd the par» ent or the young. Quite disappointed. I went out of the place to a fence-

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