Evening star., 1901-05-13
THE AUDUBON { SOCIETY
SUCCESSFUL FIEI.n MEETING HELD
AT FOREST GEEN.
Between Fifty and Sixty Specimens of
Birds Inspected-SuAg and
PlumaEe Compared.


k0f0uAnt to intention the first field meet
ing of the Audubon Society was held last
Saturday at Forest Gleny Enthusiastic
bird students. under the leadership of Mr..
Henry Olds and Mr.. A. H. Howell, enjoyed
to the full the pleasant outing.
Armed with field and opera glasses, note
books and books of reference they roamed
among the wooded hills and valleys and
strolled along the shores of Rock creek,
with ears and eyes always alert for the
songs that rose on every hand and the gay
plumage that constantly flashed on the
slsht Birds posed in their best attitudes
and in full sight, sang their choicest songs,
displayed conspicuously their best mark
lngs for ready identification. and assem-
pied IN such numbers that between sixty
ana seventy different species in all We're in
spected during the day
AS though to guarantee at the outset the
success OF the meet, pair of scarlet tan
ayers, in their handsomest full Dress and
par or Two of summer tanagers, scarcely
less beautiful and far more interesting on
account of their rarity in this vicinity,
posted themselves in a ravine directly in
the line OF the selected route and at point
only two or three minutes walk from the
cars Here they remained all day, fitting
ABOUT or perching in full view from the
prldse by which the ravne is crossed, thus
giving to each of the four divisions in
onnnr mmaom ehe party arrived most attractive
opening of the days pursuit Other birds
had also gathered here, among them a
Wood-thrush, whose liquid notes were to
pe heard throughout the whole day; cat
plrdS, that seemed to regard all the OBJ
servations as directed at themselves, all
s1hglng and coquetting with great COM
pla1sance; blue-gray gnat-cat cher and a
Iose,preasted grosbeak. which, however.
uispiayed their charms to but few of the
observers, besides several other birds of
minor prominence
An incident showing the special co-opera-
tlon offered by the birds occurred during
,~l:
taken by one Of the party for that of
tn1ted tltmouse. The difference in char
acter OF the songs of the two birds was
belng pointed out by others of the party
"hen further explanation was rendered
unnecessary by an obliging tufted titmouse
that joined its voice with that of the car
dlnal, thus affording ample opportunity for
comDarson
Perhaps no birds excited more general
interest than did the yellow breasted chats,
whose uncanny notes frequently arose
from nelghborng thickets or clurnps of
saplngs, but of whose rich chrome breast
ana ohve back but few observers We're
able to obtain a glimpse. Many stealthy,
direct advances and flank movements We're
MADE, and many pairs of glasses were held
IN readiness for instant use, or glued pa
ncntiy to eager eyes, but almost invariably
without the coveted sight as result
Songs of Cardinals.
The songs of cardinals the birds them
9'i'o9 were Hol SEEM were dfSO objects OF
much interest. and the handsomely colored
Baltimore orioles always attracted atten-
ton. An Acadian f1ycatcher and a little
green heron were new birds to most of
the party and therefore carefully observed
and d supposed Henslow's sparrow that
persstenty uttered a very brief and I'M
assuming song out in n broom -Sedge field
across the creek, but quite as persiStently
refused to rise into sight. piqued the curl
oslty of the morning party to great de-
gree
Among the most noteworthy birds OBJ
served. beside those already mentioned
were. a nuthatch. Carolina wrens yellow
throated Vireos, indigo birds. chewinks,
orchard orioles, great crested fycatchers
redheaded woodpeckers and various war
blers. including the black and white. blue
yellow-backed, yellow. black throated,
green. myrtle. chestnut-sided and prairie.
oNen-bIrds. Maryland yellow-throats and
redstarts.
Among those who invaded he haunts Of
these birds and '.oglad'' them with glasses
despite John Burroughs injunction to the
contrary were Mrs. Arthur H. Howell.
Mrs. Wallace Radcliffe, Miss Elizabeth "
Brown, Mrs Whittlesey, Miss Breen. Miss
Sullivan. Miss Givins Miss Stockett Miss
Eddy. Miss Hooper. Miss Steneger Miss
Daley and Mrs, Francis H. Stephens Pro
fessor Fewkes, who has recently built a
home at Forest Glen. placed his house at
the disposal Of the society and joined the
afternoon party.
Two more field meetings have been ar
ranged for the members of the society
Next Saturday It Is purposed to spend the
day at Dyke. three miles below Alexandria
on the Mt. Vernon electric railway, and
Saturday following the afternoon and
evening will probably be spent at Glen
Carlyn, Va.