Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-09
THE QUAIL TRAP
Scarcity of Brds-Two Obnoxious Laws-Banished Birds of Groton Long Point-Quail Trap Garne-Wood Duck Breeds in Woodstock.

repeat the most populous breeding
 ground ever knew for orchard orioles
 n1gGthawks, cuckoos' veerys, green
 heron, sora, redwings. goldfnehesl
 yeltow-throa warblers. I have taken
 people here in the late afternoon td
 hear the veerys sing, at high noon to
 hear the orchard orioles midday
 carol, Parula were once so abundant
 that in the hurry of notification, seven
 eight, and nine eggs were found in
 some nests. Twenty nests seen here
 at one time, and eleven sets of night
 hawks eggs should top the record.
 Before the moss covered trees at the
 were visions of loveliness. Perhaps
 the orchard orioles were the finest.
 Even the robin and ca.t'bir5 homes,
 deeply imbedded in the usneea, were
 beautiful. Kingbirds' nests were most
 attractive. l recall ore felted with
 usnea, hchen, cattail down, and red
 twine, another with wool, moss and
 lichen, and a third from Long Point bridge wholly of bleached seaweed. Thist1es sill1ed out late here and the belated golddnches' nests in low scrub oaks held added eggs in winter. Tho spindle ospreys have grown wary, the quawks have gone to the Fishers Island rookeries, and it is not likely that snowy heron will again drop in to feed in the brackish pools at Lands
 End. The growing summer colony at Fishers Island has driven away the purple finches from the red cedars and the tree swallows from the Nawyaug spiling.
 There is still sprinkIing of every game bird in the Quail Trap coves. Woodcock were f1uffier if not larger than the old birds July 1st. A hen pheasant with well grown young is in the west pasture, two covies of h-aX port single bevy of those little winged bullets called baby quail. Our chicks, ducklings and turkey poults have not been harried by owls, hawks or crows, though our peaches have been pecked by starlings and our sweet corn eaten. by pheasants-both introduced species For fifteen years a pair of bitterns have raised young in the meadow op- posite the house, but only one pair ever comes. The funniest thing bird wise of the meadows is that the white
 marsh hawk came again early this | spring. picked up jet of vermin in. i a three days hunt. ard then disap- peared. I would give half of my bird books to know where he goes, and, if
 mated, all details of his housekeeping. The black jesfalon shot here last Oc- i tober still reigns supreme in my small | lot of mounted raptores
 This review began with a gI.-rny outlook, but will close with one bright
 ray of hope. High authorities are tell ing us that the wood duck is in danger of extinction. So I am glad to report this most beautiful of all swimmers nesting this season on the Howard Peckham farm just beyond East Wood stock on the Putnam road. The Peck ham boys said that a wild duck was
 setting in hole in their orchard. So, In behalf of the game warden and other bird lovers, MT. Howard Perrin of North Woodstock certified the report by climbing to the nesting hollow, which was only eight feet up in an ap- pie tree a few rods east of the house. The duck flew out of the cavity, and with thumb and finger one egg was gingerly lifted from its bed of down. The egg was glossy and opaque, show | ing long incubation, and was care i fully put back to the large clutch. 1 The duck soon came back and the
 next day every egg was matched, and as usual with this species. at once carried away for the first swim. It must have been her busy day when 1 Mrs. Aix toted her twelve duck1ings l to her quiet pool in the woods. Tho drake was not present at the last act, but was seen several times by the i PecI1ham family.
 c. l.. R.