Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/91

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Notes on the Birds of February and March, 1902

PRIZE ESSAY

By VINCENT E. GORMAN lnzed u u-msl. Montclair. N. I.

DURING the winter and spring of each year it is my custom to take short trips, generally into the rural district west of Orange h/Iountain,

New Jersey, to look for birds. On these journeys I carry an opera- glass and a note-book, in which I record the number and kind of birds that I see.

l\/Iy list for February, 1902, includes the Robin, Bluebird, Crow, Blue Jay. Redrtailed and Marsh Hawks, \Vhite-breasted Nuthatch. Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Golden-crowned Kinglet. Goldfinch, junco, and the English Song, Chipping and Tree Sparrows.

I was rather disappointed not to ﬁnd the Crossbill, Northern Shrike, and other winter visitors. but the winter had been too mild, I think, for them to venture so far south.

My ﬁrst Robin was seen on Lincoln‘s birthday, and a Bluebird showed its patriotic colors a few days later. On February 20, a ﬂock of Robins ap- peared, on their northward journey, It seemed like spring to have these neighbors back again, though the wind whistled past the telegraph wires and the ground was covered with snow.

Toward the end of Nlarch the Robins became more numerous. On one morning, between six and seven o'clock, I counted no less than 527 of them, all flying north. A few days previous to this I saw 336 Crows.

This winter I learned that the Blue Jay is capable of making a number of sounds other than its usual screams. While walking through the woods one day I heard a noise similar to that produced by an unoiled grindstone. I investigated, knowing that none of those implements were to be found in that vicinity, and were surprised to find the squeaks made by a Blue Jay.

The Goldﬁnches were scarcer recognizable in their winter dress, but when I drew nearI could detect the yellow showing through the brown feathers. I was interested in watching a small ﬂock which had head— quarters in an old ﬁeld. These birds could distinguish between the care— less walk of a passer-by and the cautious manner of a bird student. When I approached stealthily they would rise and swing merrily to the other side of the pasture, calling "bu-by! bn-by/" as if to ridicule my endeavor to reach them. If, however, I changed my tactics, and walked rapidly past, with no attempt at concealment, they remained perfectly still.

A ﬂock of Song Sparrows stayed through the winter, and seemed as

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