The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-10-28
When Birds FLY South

Boston Transcript.
AT this season of chill nights and
heayy dews, the great, almost silent
southward migration of the birds is
under way. 1t is the gold and purple
time of the year-the gold of the
leaves, the corn and the goldenrods:
the purple of grapes and the aster
hosts, as well as patches and streak
ings in the naples foliage. Weed
seeds are ripening, apples are falling,
the oppression of dog-days is past.
and the birds are on the wing. Dur
ing the August molt the woods and
thlckets nave been silent, apparently
deserted. Even the red-eyed vireo in
the naples has ceased his tireless
twittering, and in the evening the
whip-poor-will has given only two or
three repetitions of his elastic cry.
But go out these brisk mornings and
observe the change. There is n
reminiscence of spring in the glad
voices of robins, flickers and errant
bluebirds. Swallows and swifts
| course about in the sky, and the dow
ny drums in the orchard. Chipples
in endless numbers of feeding by the
roadside, and scatter like leaves i'm
wind before the approaching team
| Where in August. yesterday. ALI
seemed lifeless, now abound the ac-
tivity of newly feathered wings and
the calls of gay foragers.
The juncos have returned to the
meadow border or to the back ward
where they will lnger until snow
! flies, and later still if seeds hold out
and there is a dense copse to retreat
| to in storm. And 1 know of nc
pleasanter winter friend to have
about. Before my barn is shut fol
the winter gay companies of them
pick over the char on the floor, oI
| flash back and forth on the rafters
with tinkling music.
The pine groves at this time are
filled with fally, transparent cool
ness, with an occasional leaf siftina
down before the wind. The trees are
bronzed lightly with dead needle.
which fall in sprays beneath the
touch OF furtive warblers. Jay.
scream noisily as they troop through
the nut trees whilst crows answer
, back from high-in-air expeditions.
= The migration is on in full swing
but swifter, more fugitive, more si
lent than in spring. There are occa
aonal bursts of song, but no con.
= unuous music; and the bright plum
age or spring has in most cases beer
eGchanged for q somber autumna
crab. The gay warbler's legions that
hled the May woods with singine
: and color are now hurrying, almost
unseen, through the groves, utterine
4 only faint calls to one another, and in
e Scarce distinguishing raiment. Iden.
! uiying them at this season is q task
t reserved for the experienced only
p and even then with some uncertain.
d y.
The lisp of the chickadee is to be
= heard everywhere now, and he PLAYS
an important role in respect to the
d bands of small birds. He seems tc
e nave become kind OF pilot, marshal.
o ling ais careless warblers and king.
a leS Trough the woods, inspecting in.
p trudee with his swapping black eye
s always fearless, always resourceful
o Srter the warblers have departed
from the north the chickadee (who
is himself a northerner) still assumes
TINS part with the small winter birds
Indeed. one of the prominent charac.
tiers OF the winter forest is what
n might be called bands of winter
friends of several
4 chiCSadees, with kinglets, brown
creepers, nuthatches and a downy
= woodpecker or two, in tow. You are
standing in a silent woodland, when
n suddenly you catch the note of a
chickadee, or the high drawl of the
q Canadian nuthatch, then another
i, now sounding nearer, and before you
n know It one of these bands goes
darting, fitting, swinging, ever ex.
+ ploring and peering for food, through
the trees over your head. AS If by
magic the cold woods are made CAV
with happy activity and fine merry
d notes One Of the chickadees flashes