Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-13
BIRDS IN The OPEN FIELD.
A Preston Woman who Trains Them--T anne Nuhatches
---Chckadees who Do Not Forget Their Mistress
Markie and Matie---Vistors Always at the Window
Sill where the Birds are Fed.

During the winter, have seen very
few reports in The Bulletin from bird
students. Perhaps the lack of wealth
er cold enough to bring as many pen
sioners as usual to our doors may &C
count for this.
Birds are always to be found on
my "half-acre.r For few days late
in August and about three weeks in
September there are less than at other
times. In June from eighteen to TWEEN
ty kinds could be readily identified in
day. During January / have seen
fourteen kinds. The crow, bluejay,
whitebreasted nuthatch, bluebird,
myrtle warbler, brown cresper, junco,
goldhnch, and the English, song. and
tree sparrows.
In 1908, in addition to the above, the
in the half acre: The nighthawk,
chimney swift, ruby throated hum
ming bird. kingbird, phoebe, least fly
catcher, cowbird. Baltimore orfole,
purple finch, chipping sparrow, fox
sparrow, indigo throated vireo, red
eyed vireo, black and white warbler,
yellow warbler, black-throated blue
warbler. redstart catblrd. house wren
golden crowned kihglet, ruby crowned
ldnglet, and robin.
/ also saw either bronze or purple
grackles and meadowlarks just across
the line, on adjoining land, and heard
whip poor-wills, bob whites, and
screech owls very near Not far away
saw winged blackbirds and pur-
pie martens.
Within the last three years I have
slso seen within the half thu
following twelve additional ones:
Woodcock, hairy woodpecker, black
billed cuckoo, meadow lark, white
throsted sparrow, field sparrow. to-
whee warbling vireo. Maryland yell
low throat, black-throated green war
bier, brown thrasher and Canada geese
in flight Nearby I have seen bob
whites, barn swallows. an English
pheasant, and just out Of the village
pair OF rose-breasted grosbeaks.
Also other kinds, which 1 could not
identify
At the time OF my last report early
IN July, several of my tame birds were
bringing their nestlings to the window
sill, where a supply Of food is kept for
their benefit The downy woodpeck-
er and her three babies only stayed
three days. The chipping sparrows and
their nestlngs continued their visits
for many weeks The last time that
I saw one on the window sill was on
October %. The song sparrows some
times carried away crumbs. but Meth
er they nor the nuthatches brought
their families to the window. The
song sparrows came until nearly the
end Of August.
My pair Of tame nuthatches after
being absent nearly four months. came
back on December 9Th to the window
sill. The female came at once to my
hand when I held il out with food
The male seemed more timid and did
not come to me until he had been back
eleven days. They occasionally walk
down a tree trunk to me when I hold
my hand beside 1t, but will not fly TO
me in the open, as the male has done
for two winters. The female did not
learn to come to my hand until July
and has never been to me in the open.
When she came back this winter, she
soon learned to fly from the tree to
the window sill when tapped on the
glass for her AS usual. when they
have more food than they wish to
eat, they thrust 1t in a crevics In the
bark Of tree and frequently cover II
with bit Of bark or moss.
When my pair OF tame chickadees
came back in June. after a months
absence, they brought five nestlings,
which they left at the end of twelve
days. The young birds stayed eight
days longer, when they, too, went
away. Several learned 70 eat from nv
hand. Their call note was more plain
tive than that of the adult. To me It
sounded like "Ba-bee, ba-bee."
After they went away although I
sometimes heard chickadees calling in
the distance, I did not see one, until