The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-22
GREAT WINTER FOR BIRDS
Many Rare Species Observed In New
England During Recent Months

England During Recent Months
II the reports that come in from
many parts of New England can be
relied upon this has been a remark
able winter for birds. The breeding
season of 1908 was unusually favor
able for the birds I'm most sections
and this has resulted in increasing
their numbers. The fall was late
with fine dry weather, and the flights
of small birds came in numbers and
stayed long. The largest flight Of
wOodcOck that has been seen for
years went through the New England
States in November. Woodcock were
plentiful for a few days all along the
Atlantic seaboard, rs far south AZ
least as southern New England, and
the flight extended we'll back into the
interior.
In southeastern New England most
birds move south very reluctantly.
Blueblrds and swallows. were report
ed in Plymouth and Bristol Counties,
Massachusetts, late in December,
and a good many robins were seen
up 10 the first week in January. The
Carolina, wren, which seems to have
invaded New England in recent
years, and which has extended It's
range even to Maine has been report
ed in some localities this winter. A
/ few kingishers were observed where
the streams were still open, and wild
| geese were reported late in Deem
Der Notwithstanding the fact that
many birds nave remained with us
longer than usual, unusual numbers
of certain winter birds have come
| down from the north, and farmers
report lots of small birds" in the
| fields and woods this winter.
Flocks of the rarer white-winged
/ crossbill pine siskins and redpolls
are reported Tree sparrOws and
iuncos have been seen in large mum
bers. The season has been so open
| i'm Massachusetts that these birds
have found a plentiful supply of weed
seeds in the fields. Snowy owls are
reported from along the coast.
One correspondent from Maine
claims to have seen that very rare
bird the Bohemian Waxwing Maine
oruithologists should be OH the lool
out for this bird, for one is fortunate
10 get a sight Of It in lifetime,
Everyone who lives in The countr!
should feed the birds in winter. i
is very little trouble to keep a few
pieces of suet or some beef bones
with sheds of meat attached, tied vi
in the orchard trees out OF the reacl
of cats and dogs, as food for th'
birds We shall be we'll paid for GU
trouble by the destruction of the in
sect enemies OF the trees, The bird
Iatracted by the bait hung out will
frequent the vicinity and while feed
ing a part Of the time on the ANNA
food thus provided for them viii
spend the rest of the time hunting
insects on the trees a little chat
from the barn floor should be thrown
ont under a shed or in some shelter
ed place to provide food for the see'
eating birds
Every legislature in New England
Is in session this winter Now is tn
time to get legislation TO protec
those birds which are now in dan
ger of determination. Among thes'
are the wood duck the upland plov
err, the kldeer ployer and the piping
plover These birds are disappearing
rapidly in all these states. Thu
wood duck and the upland plover are
now protected by a close season o
five years in New York, New Hamp
shire and MASSACHUSETTS, All shoot
Ing of the kildeer and the piping plo'
er should be prohibited, as they are
MI
north from spring and SUMMER shoe
ing on their breeding rounds.
Edward Howe Forbush, Agent,
National Association of Audubon So
cieties