The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-12

y 'o) In the air (Bobolink, Lark =
7 (c) In the night (sage Thrasher.
Cuckoo)
(e) In the morning.
:. Character of the song. =
(a) Rolling. strong and full Mead \
owlark).
: jb) Happy. the elinking note fairly !
turlbling out (Boholink and =
Lark Bunting).
= (c) Plaintive note (some OF the y
smaller flycatchers).
cd Long and frequent CCatbird. y
LonS-taied Chat.
(e) Short CBluebird, Chickadee) \
y ,. Cali notes :
~
Without paying any attention tn the
proper order in which they may come,
we shall take up one other single bird,
but will not dwell upon 1t at great
length. Aftcrward we shall consider
several groups within the group We
are considering. and note some of the
facts in connection with them all. Civ
ing little more time to the most in
tCresting birds
The BIaek-Headed Grosbeak.
The eastern representative of this
bird is the more beautiful rose breast
ed grosbeak, which is common in 10
caiities from the Atlantic west into
Kansas. But while the eastern bird
rivals the western in beauty of feath-
ers, our sturdy black-headed bird
more than matches il in beauty of
song. And about this song there are
many divergent opinions. not so much
as TO the fact of its sweetness and
beauty as to its chief characteristics
and its place in comparison with the
rnsna~f
Coues i'm one place refers TO it as being
a brilliant and enthusiastic vocalist,
its song resembling that of the rose
breasted grOSbeak and having much
similarity To the Baltimore OriOle.
And again, he finds its song superb
IA powerful melOdiOus succession of
clear, rich, rolling notes" Ridgway
finds himself unable to discover any
difference in its notes or habits from
its rose breasted relative. Baily
characterizes it as zone of the most
varied and exquisitely finished and
musical of bird songs. 1t has swing
ing rythm and clearness characteristic
of grosbeak songs, but is smooth and
rounded, and its highest notes are
dwelt on and trolled over with rare
tenderness, repeated, not as, the
thrasher'S notes are repeated, but
with the enjoyment of an artist con-
sciOusy perfecting his work. only
two observers and students. so far as
! know. have been impressed by that
characteristic quality of this song,
which first startled me, one May
morning, and sent me, over the fences
and across lots to find new and un-
usual robin. To me the song has al
ways possessed an invigoratiRg robin
like quality and melody rich and pure
and sustained.
Arrive in April.
These birds come in April. ordinari-
ly and at once they will notify you of
their arrival by some of their wonder
full melody. which you like enough,
will attribute to robin red-breast; but
YOU will soon conclude. if you pay at
tention that no robin is responsible
for such music-it simply is immeasur-
ably beyond the robin. If there are
poplars or other trees about your
yard, this grosbeak will come to them
again and again TO Serenade you: and.
if kindly received, he will surely build
near by.
Nest of the Grosbeak.
The nest of this grosbeak is a loose
" constructed affair. reminding one
somewhat of the immature efforts of
the tanagers and cuckoos. 1t is gen.
orally placed about twenty feet above
the ground-nOt more than that-and
favorite nesting place is i'm the will
lows or other shrubbery that lines the
banks of bitches and small streams.
The nest is himsily built, on base OF
sticks or weed stalks. and lined with
grass and rOOtlets. In this nest the
grosbeak lays from three 10 four
ereeuish-blue eggs. with spots and
hlOtches of reddish and brown upon
them. These fade to a pale blush
white after being blown. The gros-
heak parents share alike in the work
cf incubation. the male bird occupying
the nest when the female goes for
food
A Useful Bird.
These birds have sometimes been
charged with various misdeeds. be-
cause. on occasions, they have helped
themselves to fruit or vegetables. in
some parts of our state they are
known as the 'Ded bird" because OF
their fondness FOR peas. Only once
have I discovered them in a pea patch
and that was during the past summer
at MarysVale. and there the tempta-
ton was great. At some distance Ut
the little Stream-One of the feeders
Of the Sewer river, and in the midst OF
timber and underbrush-I found q
small garden about two by three rods
in extent 7 had heard q grOsbeak
singing near there d little before. and
SC I Law down and watched. Present
" the songster OF a few moments be-
fore turned into pea gatherer, and
he went nj the work as though he
really enjoyed it. But the damage
done in this direction is infnitesima
IN comparison with the vast amount
OF good he does in the destruction OF
Injurious Insects. ] have shot one Of
these birds as he was getting dinner
on newly soWn oats. which had beer