t PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE | iowa, ornithologists* iur\Jiiorsj j VOL. VIII MARCH, 1038 NO. 1 ■ 1 i s ! OFFICERS OF THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS" UNION ! President- — -Myrle L. Jones, Pomeroy, Iowa Vice-President — Dr. Warren N. Keck, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Sec'y-Treas. — Miss Kate E. LaMar, 1231 39th St., Dew Moines, iowa Editor — Fred J. Pierce, Winthrop, Iowa ! Executive Council: Mrs. E. J, Petranek, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Dr. Winifred Gilbert, Cedar Falls, Iowa | Mrs. Billy Williams, Atlantic, Iowa • Ex-officio Council Members (Past Presidents): ! Walter M. Rosene Walter W. Bennett Arthur J. Palas Dr. F- L- R. Roberts Dr. George 0. Hendrickson The Iowa. Ornithologists' Union w:t 3 organized at Amts, Iowa, February 28, j 1923. for the study and protection of native birds and to promote fraternal re- lations amonp; Iowa bird students. I The central design of the Union’s official seal is the Eastern Goldfinch, designated I State bird of Iowa in 1933. | Publications of the Union: Mimeographed letters, 1023-1023; 'The Bulletin,* I 1020-1030 : Iowa Bird Life,’ beginning 1931. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Iowa, $1.00 a year (includes ! membership dues). Outside of Iowa, 50c a year. Special rate for all libraries, 50c a year. Single copies 15c each. (Keep the j Editor informed of your correct address.) : EDITORIAL AND PUBLICATION OFFICE WINTHROP, IOWA Entered as seeund-dass matter February 0. 1032. at the post office at Winthrop, Iowa, under the Act ol March 3, 1879. NESTING OF THE AMERICAN BITTERN The* upper view j hov/s the nest :int| t*L'k's ol" the Anne litan Itittern. in C Iny County, [own, June. The Bittern is shown <»n ihis nest in the lower view, 1’hototfra.phs hy Loittin J . I Jen nett. BIRDS IN CLAY, PALO ALTO COUNTIES o O THE SPRING MIGRATION OF SOME BIRDS THROUGH CLAY AND PALO ALTO COUNTIES, IOWA* By LOCAN J. BENNETT U, S. Bureau of Biological Survey** In connection with waterfowl research in Clay and Palo Alto Counties, Iowa, the writer recorded the migration dates arid approximate num- bers of some species of birds, particularly those frequenting water areas, throughout the spring of 1934. The area in which the observa- tions were made is called the Ruthven Area by those people who have been engaged in wildlife research at Iowa State College in recent years. The area is within the Wisconsin Glaciation and contains a larger rem- nant of potholes, marshes, sloughs, and lakes than any similar area in the state. The writer resided in the Ruthven Area in 1934 from March 12 until late in the following fall. About 40 miles were driven in an auto- mobile each day during the migratory period to estimate the bird population on the respective water areas. Approximate numbers were derived by spot-checking Hocks and rafts with calibrated binoculars. The figures were often checked with complete counts to determine dis- crepancies. Actual counts were made and recorded in most cases on those species that were present in numbers less than 100. A more complete paper on the migration of shore birds for the spring of 1934 has been published (Bennett, 1935). The writer has not observed any other region in Iowa where such large numbers of water birds can be seen. On March 20, 1934, Philip A. DuMont and the writer conservatively estimated that there were at least 1,000,000 Pintails in Clay, Palo Alto, Emmet, and Dickinson Counties. This ex- ample of large numbers is given merely to indicate to Iowa nature students what is in store for them if they make a visit to the Ruthven Area between March 20 and April 20. The wide variety of water depths, from closed marshes to open lakes, offers almost ideal resting and feeding conditions for all migratory water birds that are likely to pass through low-a. The big flights of migratory birds arrive in northwestern Iowa each spring as soon as the lakes begin to become free of ice. Year after year the melting ice leaves open water about March 20, The appear- ance of open water has not missed that date by many days within the memory of old settlers. Lyle Van Vleck, Ruthven, Iowa, informed the writer that in the days of market hunting and spring shooting the hunters planned on being at the lakes on March 20 for the begin- ning of the sprmg duck harvest. The opening of the lakes and the myriads of temporary potholes in the adjacent fields and pastures caused by the spring thaw attracted the water birds in almost unbelievable numbers. Today the same area is even more important to waterfowl, as the rest of the State has but a few scattered lakes and marshes left. Literature Cited Bennett, Logan J. 19 j 5. The 1934 Spring Migration of Shore Birds Through Clay and Palo Alto Counties, Iowa, Iowa State College Journal of Science, Vol. IX, No. 4, 1935, pp. G09-G16. •Journal Paper No. J-’RiT uf the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Arne?, Iowa, Project !!>'■. ••Iowa State College. lawn Conservation Conimi^ iun, and the U- S. Bureau of Bio- logical Survey co-operating wilh the American Wildlife Institute. 4 IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 11)38 MIGRATION DATA ON SOME BIRDS THROUGH CLAY AND PALO ALTO COUNTIES, SPRING OF 1934 Species Date first seen Main flight |Date last j seen Number seen Lesser Loon April 10 No data No data > 30 Eared Grebe April 20 No data Nesting* 85 Pied-billed Grebe April 14 April 29 Nesting 800 Double-crested Cormorant April 30 No data No data 24 American Bittern April 22 May 15-19 Nesting 600 Canada Goose March 19 April 17 May 5 5,000 White-fronted Goose April 6 April 12 April 30 200 Snow Goose March 19 April 16 May 2 20.000 Blue Goose March 19 April 15 May 1 30,000 Mallard March 15 Mar. 20-May 15 Nesting 400,000 Black Duck March 20 No data No data 100 Gad wall April 4 April 19 April 23 10,000 Baldpate April 2 April 19 April 28 8,000 American Pintail March 15 Mar. 20-May 15 Nesting 1,000,000 + Green-winged Teal March 20 April 14 April 28 8,000 Blue-winged Teal April 7 April 25 Nesting 20,000 Shoveller March 23 April 13 Nesting 15,000 Redhead March 20 April 8 Nesting 1,000 Ring-necked Duck March 20 April 12 May 1 8,000 Canvasback March 15 April 9 Nesting 300 Lesser Scaup March 15 Aoril 13-17 April 25 i 20,000 American Golden-eye March 19 March 31 April 13 1 300 Bufflehead April 9 April 13 April 13 50 Ruddy Duck April 14 April 18 Nesting 1 500 Hooded Merganser April 10 No data No data 1 40 American Merganser March 18 April 10 April 20 100 Red-breasted Merganser March 18 No data No data 60 Eastern Red-tailed Hawk March 23 No data Nesting 20 Marsh Hawk March 22 April 10 Nesting | 200 Osprey April 30 No data May 2 *> Duck Hawk April 13 No data May 3 3 Western Pigeon Hawk March 23 ( only one seen) 1 Eastern Sparrow Hawk April 6 No data Nesting 500 Greater Prairie Chicken Wintering* * March 20 April 0 4,000 American Coot March 20 April 23-25 Nesting 30,000 Piping Plover May 3 May 3-19 May 19 11 Semipalmated Plover May 2 May 14 June 5 200 Killdeer March 1G April Nesting 500 American Golden Plover May 7 May 7 May 28 1 14 Black-bellied Plover April 27 Mav 28 June 1 41 Ruddy Turnstone May 11 May 22 June 2 ! 52 Wilson’s Snipe April 22 Apr. 24-May 2 May 16 ! 500 Upland Plover May 5 May 11 Nesting 35 Spotted Sandpiper May 1 Mav 22 Nesting 75 East’n Solitary Sandpiper May 21 May 22 June 1 40 Western Willet May 1 Mav 7-11 May 16 6 Greater Yellowlegs April 6 Apr. 18-28 May 5 150 Lesser Yellowlegs April 8 April 28 June 3 i i 300 American Knot May 21 (One dock of 14 observed) 14 Pectoral Sandpiper \pril 2 Mav 21 ■June 2 800 W hi te-r umped Sandpiper May 12 Mav 22 June 3 400 Baird’s Sandpiper May 10 Mav 14 May 23 250 Least Sandpiper April 19 May 21 Tune 1 500 Red-backed Sandpiper May 7 Mav 22-24 Tune 7 1 .000 Do witcher May 1 0 May 14 May 22 133 Stilt Sandpiper May 7 May 24 June 7 | 300 BIRDS IN CLAY, PALO ALTO COUNTIES 5 THE RUTHVEN AREA {Courtesy of CulJoj'tute Prorisi, Amos, Iow:i) A/ 96 1 Species Date first seen Main flight Date last | seen Number seen Semipalmated Sandpiper May 3 May 15 June 3 1,000 Western Sandpiper May 22 (3 were seen on this date) 1 3 Marbled Godwit April 28 May 14 June 2 41 Hudsonian Godwit April 13 May 13-14 May 26 81 SanderJing May 5 May 23 June 5 28 Avocet Mav 13 No data June 28 j 2 Wilson’s Phalaropc April 22 May 15 May 24 ! 144 Northern Phalarope May 11 May 21 May 29 250 Parasitic Jaeger May 23 No data No data 1 Herring Gull March 15 April 14 May 10 1,000 Ring-billed Gull March 16 April 17 May 8 ! 600 Franklin's Gull April 11 April 21-25 May 12 00,000 Bonaparte's Gull April 13 April 22 May 10 ! 40,000 Forster’s Tern April 18 May 1-10 Nesting 1,500 Black Tern May 12 May 15-20 Nesting 3,000 Short-eared Owl March 19 No data Nesting ; 20 Eastern Belted Kingfisher April 5 No data Nesting 300 Eastern Bluebird March 17 No data Nesting 40 Yellow-headed Blackbird April 8 April 10-20 Nesting 100.000 Giant Redwing March 19 April 13 Nesting 500,000 Rusty Blackbird March 21 No data No data 5,000 Brewer’s Blackbird No data No data 10,000 Bronzed Grackle Note: # *ltir<±s present all ■Nesting birds — -las' March 21 winter. lirst a d miirrimts not No data rriviils not evident, . detected. Nesting 500,000 BIRDS OF THE SIOUX CLTY AREA IX VXUi By BRUCE F. STILES SIOUX CITY, IOWA (Concluded from the December, 1937, issue, pp. 40-52.) Northern Blue Jay- I have no records for January, February or March; numerous records through the rest of the year. Am. Magpie, My first record is October 0 in Monona County; numerous from then on. See my note in ‘Iowa Bird Life’ for March, 1937, p. 8. Eastern Crow. Common through the year. My first nesting record in Woodbury County was April 10 (four eggs). As the Crow wits on the nest it will often “caw’' for hours. The sound of a nesting Crow is quite different from the ordinary note, having somewhat of a nasal quality. The syllables are run together monotonously. I have located many nests by following the sound. When disturbed on the nest the Crow does not make a fuss as most birds do; a few squawks as it leaves the nest and the bird is gone. By early October Crows become conspicuously abundant here. They roost in enormous flocks in the wooded areas along the Missouri River. During the late after- noon in the fall and winter months the flocks start congregating, fly- ing in strung-out groups over the willow bars for hours. Shortly be- fore sundown they settle down into the willows by hundreds. I have seen two or three thousand roosting in the tops of the low willow saplings four miles west of Salix, Iowa, lighting in the tops of the small trees in such numbers that the saplings were bent over by their weight. They spend a good hour noisily settling themselves for the night. When disturbed after dark they move on, seeming to fly quite well at night. In the latter part of October, 1925, while hunting ducks on the bars of the Missouri River, west of New Lake, I shot a crow from an enormous flock about an hour before sundown. The Crow fell wounded BIRDS OF SIOUX CITY AREA i and began cawing. Instead of being frightened, the other Crows swooped down over me by hundreds, many coming within six feet of my gun barrel. Their attitude was distinctly menacing, and the din of their cawing was deafening. I emptied my gun and killed four or five more before they retreated to a safe distance. They milled around for some time, just out of gun range, and then went across the river to the wooded hills on the Nebraska shore. On March 20, I trapped six. These were banded and released on March *28. A bounty of ten dollars was placed upon each one by the Northwest Iowa Wildlife Conservation League. None was returned. The Crow is intelligent, resourceful and capable. The study of its habits will reveal some most unusual and interesting incidents. I once saw a Crow alight on a fence post, cawing loudly. Finally four other Crows appeared. The first Crow swooped down into the field and picked up something in its bill. It dropped it and alighted on the post again. Each bird alighted in the field and one by one went through the same performance. They finally flew away, cawing at the top of their voices. On examining the spot I found a bottle cap. Four or five years ago a pure albino Crow was shot east of Lawton, Iowa. The farmer who shot it said it had been around his farm for more than a year, always keeping out of gun range. During the winter a cow died and was left in the field near a haystack. Crows were seen to feed on the carcass, and one morning before daylight the farmer hid himself in the haystack. The albino Crow was there shortly after daylight with a flock of others and the farmer shot it. It was mounted and displayed in a filling station at Moville, Iowa, where I saw it. Black-capped Chickadee. Records through the year. White-breasted Nuthatch. Records through the year but more nu- merous during the winter months. Brown Creeper. Numerous winter records; latest record, April 10; first fall record, October 9. Western House Wren. Numerous records from April 28 to Septem- ber 13. Catbird. Records from May 17 to September 12. Brown Thrasher. Records from April 28 to September 13. Eastern Robin. Records from March 6 to October 21, Wood Thrush. One seen on May 17; one July 2(3. Olive-backed Thrush. One at Riverside on May 17. Eastern Bluebird. Records for all months except January and F ebruary. Eastern Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Fall records. Migrant Shrike. Common from March to September. Starling. Increasing steadily. Bell's Vireo. Records through the summer. Red-eyed Vireo. One bird at Riverside, May 17. Eastern Warbling Vireo. A summer resident. Tennessee Warbler. One individual at Riverside, May 17. Eastern Yellow Warbler. Numerous records through the summer; nest with three young and one egg an Sioux City, June 17. Myrtle Warbler. Numerous in migration, April 17 to May 3, and September 27 to October 17. Black-poll Warbler, One record for South Ravine Park on May 10. Yellow-breasted Chat. One bird at Brown’s Lake July 18. Am. Redstart. A migrant and summer resident. English Sparrow. Common resident. Bobolink. A record of 10 birds west of Sergeant Blulf on July 21. Western Meadowlark. Records from March 19 to October 21. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Common at New Lake during latter April, May and the first half of June; two nests with four eggs each at New Lake on May 31. Giant Red-wing. Abundant from March 19 to September 27; one record of a female taken at Flower’s Island, Monona County, November o J.U *1 , . . Jw' AjU 1 Ij— > ill) 15. On May 31 at New Lake I found the following nests in little over an hour: 2 nests with 2 eggs each, 3 nests with 3 eggs each, 10 nests with 4 eggs each, 2 nests with 5 eggs each. Orchard Oriole. Three birds in Woodbury County on June 14 and one in Monona County on July 19. Baltimore Oriole. Records through the summer. Rusty Blackbird. Twenty individuals north of Salix, Iowa, on April 11. I took one specimen, a male, in Monona County on October 7. Brewer's Blackbird. I have a record of two at South Ravine Park, on the outskirts of Sioux City, on October 17. Bronzed Grackle. Common from mid-March to mid-October. Eastern Cowbird. Records for all summer months. Eastern Cardinal, Permanent resident. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Summer resident. Indigo Bunting, Summer resident. DickcisseL Summer resident, common from May 17 to July 21. Eastern Goldfinch. Permanent resident. Red-eyed Towhee. Records for April, May and October. Eastern Lark Sparrow. Summer resident. Slate-colored Junco. Many records from September 27 to April 11. Tree Sparrow. Records for fall, winter and early spring. Eastern Chipping Sparrow. Summer resident. Clay-colored Sparrow. Two birds in South Ravine, April 28. Field Sparrow. Common summer resident. Harris's Sparrow. Many spring and fall records, the latest being October 29. White-throated Sparrow. Records for May, September and October. Eastern Fox Sparrow. One record for Union County, South Dakota, on October 20. Song Sparrow. A record for December 25 at Riverside Park. Lapland Longspur. I have southeastern South Dakota records for November and December. THE ANNUAL CONVENTION The sixteenth annual meeting of the Icwa Ornithologists' Union will be held at Cedar Rapids on Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7. In- vitations from the Cedar Rapids Bird Club, Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Hotel Montrose and the Mayor assure us of a warm wel- come. The Cedar Rapids Bird Club, cooperating with Dr. Keck of Coe College, have plans well under way for our luncheon, banquet, program at the banquet, field trip, etc. The Executive Council and officers are planning a well-rounded pro- gram of talks by our members, an open forum, and various special features such as a specialist in bird study as our principal speaker, and a Saturday field trip of unusual interest. W'e trust that the weather man will “give us a break’' this year, and the inclement weather which marred the Cedar Rapids meeting in 1931 will not prevail. With favor- able weather we are assured of a fine time in a territory abounding in bird life. The element of uncertainty and pleasant surprises in these field trips, together with the association of bird students both expert and amateur from all walks of life, serve to make the field trip a bright spot in this big annual event of the Union. Anyone wishing to appear on the program should send the title of his talk and information to the President by the first of April. Sug- gestions for a topic for the open forum will also be appreciated. This is your meeting, your program. We want you to attend. If this is your first convention, we especially urge you to come and get ac- quainted, If you can appear on the program, we shall be glad to give you a place. A copy of the completed program and announcements will be sent to each member at a later date.— M. L. J. OiliVIO 1 lUAO DiKLT THE !!)::: (JHIUSTMAS BIRD CENSUS IN IOWA We present herewith the 1937 Christmas bird census in Iowa. If our readers like the census reports in this tabulated form, we shall no doubt make it an annual feature in our magazine. We do not have space to comment on the absence or presence of various species; but a careful study of the table will reveal many interesting points — the scarcity of the Bob-white, the small numbers of Horned Larks (which became very common in January), the appearance of the Magpie, and the records of Bluebirds, Robins and Meadowlarks due to rather mild weather conditions. Meadowlarks apparently have wintered in Iowa in greater numbers than for several years, judging from many reports. The Starling is on all the lists; from the numbers reported it is in- creasing rapidly. Some observers included the English Sparrow and others did not. In order to make the table uniform we decided to omit this species, which is highly domesticated and quite unworthy of a place on a list of wild birds. If we were to include the English Sparrow, it seems we should also list the Rock (Domestic) Dove, We are indebted to 'Bird-Lore’ for five of the Iowa lists (pp. 58-59 in the February, 1938, issue). We like 1 Bird-Lore V practice of in- cluding photographs of the census-takers. So far, likenesses of Mrs. Toni Wendelburg, Walter Rosen, Fred Pierce, Dr. T. C. Stephens, M. L. Jones and Miss LaMar (all members of our Union) have appeared in ‘ Bird-Lore'. Data on place, time, weather and the observers who reported are given below, BACKBONE STATE PARK (Delaware Co.): Dec. 20; 8:30 a. m. to 3:30 p. m. Cloudy most of the day, with occasional glimpses of the sun. snow in the air at times; about 10 in, snow, partially ice-encrusted, on the ground with fair sized drifts; temp. 19° at start, same at return; 4 miles on foot in the park, and an auto ride from Winthrop to the park. Mr. and Mrs, M. L. Jones, Paul A, Pierce, F. J. Pierce. ('Bird- Lore') DES MOINES: Dec. 23; S a. m. to 5 p, m. Clear in a. m., cloudy in p. m. ; temp. 11° at start, 29° at return; 152 miles by auto, 30 on foot; observers in 5 groups. Brenton's Slough, Fischer’s Lake, Morningstar Farm, Beaver Creek. Denman Woods, Brown's Woods, Walnut Woods State Park, Waukonsa Woods and Ashworth Park. Geo. Tonkin. J, F. Thompson, Kate LaMar, H. L. Bump, Mrs. Margaret Lutton, Olivia McCabe, Elizabeth Peck, Jessie Morrison, Mrs. Toni Wendelburg, Edna Rounds, Dwight Smith. A, F. Denboer, Mrs. Harold Johnson, Evangeline G rooters, Mrs. H. R. Peasley. (‘Bird-Lore’) DUBUQUE: Dec, 20; 9:30 a. m. to 4:30 p, in. Clear, no wind; 4 in, snow; temp. 14° at start, 30° at return; 12 miles by auto, G on foot. Eagle Point Park. Lin wood Cemetery, high school grounds, and 5 miles north to bottomlands along Mississippi River. Dubuque Bird Club. FAIRFIELD: Dec, 25; 2 hrs, during middle of day. Cloudy and raw. On the farm of Ross Barrett, 7 miles west of Fairfield; habitat included fairly heavy woods, open fields, creek, etc, Margaret and Kenneth Parrett. John Bliese. HARPERS FERRY: Dec. 25; 8 a. m. to 4:30 p, m. Clear, no wind; l> in. snow: temp. — 0° at start, UF at return; 52 miles by auto, 10 on foot. To Dam No. 9, Wexford, Lansing. Watevville and Waukon Junc- tion, A, J. Pains. B. W. Winder, F Bird- Lore’) OGDEN: Dec. 25; 9 a. m, to 12 m., 1:30 to 5 p, in. Clear, no wind: 1-2 in. snow; temp. 25° at start, 32° at return: 48 miles by auto. 4 on foot. Wooded hillsides and bottom-lands along Dos Moines River, open country to Beaver Creek, then to Ledges State Park. W. 51, Rosen, Paul Leaverton, Sam Hyde. ('Bird-Lore ) PIERSON: Dec. 20; 8 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. Clear, no wind; ground 10 IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 10:38 .x ■ii ~ cr o — 3* Of c o s X OJ 3 .5 3 Q 2 '3 sS 4, ~ u. c ' l! a O £ u C- o L. p A u M 3 th a c Mallard 305 ] UaJd pate 1 Scaup Duck 2 1 American Merganser 13 i Rtd-tailcd Hawk 2 ! 2 3 2 4 i Red -shouldered Hawk ...... ........ I L Rough -legged Hawk : 1 1 3 : Marsh Hawk 3 1 1 i 3 Sparrow Hawk 4 1 Rob-white 17 15 17 Ring-necked Pheasant 5 2 1 1 Mon mine Dove 6 0 1 1 Screech Owl 2 2 Great Horned Owl 1 a 3 o 2 Barred Owl i 3 2 Land-eared Owl 1 Short-eared Owl i ' 2 1 Rolled Kingfisher i 1 | Flicker 38 1 1 5 10 ' 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 28 3 i 3 8 1 2 4 1 Red- headed Woodpecker 1 0 Hairy Woodpecker 2 27 I 2 10 t i 9 i 1 Downy Woodpecker 5 70 2 3 10 . 1 8 y | 0 i 16 ' 15 Horned Lark tPmiriej 1 1 5 i 1 35 Blue Jay 25 47 G k 35 7 15 ■ 3 I 0 14 American Magpie 1 1 j Crow | 18 | 208fi | 310 1 hi Ij7 ! : 225 1 525 | ' 54 | Chickadee 258 28 42 32 j 4b 38 30 | Tufted Titmouse 20 13 [ White-breasted Nuthatch I 7 87 4 5 17 21 7 L3 14 4 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 3 o Drown Creeper 1 17 1 3 1 9 1 Robi n 20 Bluebird 4 2 1 in Golden-crowned Kinglet 5 4 Cedar Waxwing 4 N'irrh*»rri ShriVp < 1 1 Starling 1 3G 157 1 2 48 80 118 1 17 500 1 127 I Western Meadowlark 1 5 1 1 g Red-winged Blackbird .............. 2 55 Bronzed Crackle 1 Cardinal ........ 1 12 SO* 12 1 151 3 1 2 2 1 11 ! Purple Finch j 30 14 4 1 1 ] Pine Siskin 2011 Goldfinch j 35 22 & 4 12 3 3 3 I Slate-colored J unco | 150 551 28 17 181 54 1 28 131 107 1 315 1 Tree Sparrow „ l 200 %6 30 30 738 120 I 207 65 34 i25 : Harris's Sparrow ........................ 1 1 6 i i Song Sparrow 1 10 1 1 | 1 f 4 ! Lapland Longsp'tr f |4000 1 1 0-) Number of species l in 36 1 16 13 17 24 1 23 | 13 | 23 ! I Nil m be r of Observers ! 4 15 i 3 2 3 * 1 4 1 10 partly snow-covered; temp. 26' at start, 32° at return; 28 miles by auto, 12 on foot. Two miles west of Pierson, 8 miles east, to Ranney’s Knob, then down valley of Little Sioux River. W. R. Mills, Paul Os- born, Melvin Treptow, Jack Warner, Harry Williams. ('Bird-Lore') POMEROY. Dec. 22; 9:30 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. Boy Scouts Enfred Linder, Loran Fricke, Curtis Johnson and Asst. Scoutmaster Harry Telles of Troop 39, Pomeroy. SIOUX CITY: Dec. 26; 8:15 a. m. to 4:50 p. m. Cloudy in a. m., clear in p. m., no wind; little snow; temp. 18* 1 at start, 38° at return. Stone Park, McCook Lake, Perry Creek road, Missouri River bottoms. Riverside Park. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Armour, Dr. and Mrs. J. A. Dales, Wilfred Crabb, Leona Keckler, Dr. J. L. and Miss Ruth Schott, Bruce and Mrs. Alice Stiles. TAMA: Dec. 25; 2 hrs. in a. m., 4 hrs. in p. m. Drove in a circular direction as much as possible, starting east, then north, then west and home, never more than 5 miles from Tama, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Mac- Martin, Miss Bay 3 vice. The first national bird census sponsored by ‘Bird-Lore' was taken December 25, 1900. Since then it has been an annual event and al- ways a popular and worthwhile feature of the magazine. The first Iowa census for ‘Bird-Lore' was taken on December 25, 1903, by Rett E. Olmstead at Decorah, with nine species listed. The next Iowa census was taken two years later and from then on Iowa has been regularly represented. Some statistics gleaned from the Pierce bibli- ography may be of interest. Since the beginning of 'Bird-Lore's' Christmas census there have been 164 Iowa lists. These represent 25 counties of the state and are distributed among the 32 Iowa cities given in the following list. The dates given are the years in which the census was published, though of course the list was made in December of the preceding vear. Ames: 1924. '25, '26, '27, '28, '29, '31. Backbone State Park (Delaware Co.) : 1924, ’33, '34, '35, '36, '37, '33. Bettendorf: 1916, '18, ’21, '22, '23, '24, '31. Cedar Rapids: 1907, ’03, ’23. Davenport: 1918, '24, '26, '34, '55. Decorah: 1904, Des Moines: 1911. ’12, ‘23, '24, '2o, '26, '27, '28, ’29, '30, '31, '32, '35, '34, ’35, '36, ’37, '38. El dor a : 1931. Emmetsburg: 1920, '22, '28, '24. Grinnell: 1908. Harpers Ferry: 1938. Iowa City: 1920, '22, '23, '24. '27. Keokuk: 1922, '20, '27, '28, '29, '30, ’31, '32. Lanesboro: 1916, '17. Marion: 1910. Mt. Vernon: 1910. National: 1909. New Hampton: 1922, '25, '26, '30. Ogden: 1923, '24, '26, ’27, ’28, '29, ’30, ’31, '36. '37, ’38. Oskaloosa: 1922, ’23. Pierson: 1922, '23, '24, '25, '26, '27, ’28, ’29, '30, '31, ’33, ’34, '35, '30. '37, '38. Sabula : 1911, '12. Sigourney: 1928, ’29, '30, ’31, ’52. Sioux City: 1910, ’ll, ’12, '13, ’14. '15. '16, '17, 'IS, '19, '20, '21, ’23, ’24, ’20. '29, '30, '31, ’32, '34, '36, '37. South English: 1917. Spirit Lake: 1931, Tabor: 1926, '27. Wallingford: 1914, '15. Wall Lake: 1909, ’10, 'll, '12, '13, ’14, '15. Waukon: 1907. ion 54, Webster: 1931. Winthrop: 1921. ’22, '23, ’26, ‘27, '28. ’29. ’30, '31, 32. Without making research into the matter, we believe that Rosen, Mills, and Pierce have taken Christmas censuses over a longer period than any other observers in Iowa. The census just taken was Pierce's eighteenth consecutive Christmas census, and all have been pub- lished in 'Bird- Lore'. As the years pass the census trip becomes al- most as important an event as the Christmas holiday itself, and we can look back upon many line trips with congenial companions, in good weather anti bad. — F. J. P. 12 IOWA BIRD LIFE — VIII, 1038 GENERAL NOTES Meadowlarks and other Winter Records,- — The mild Winter just past was responsible for a number of rather unusual records. I saw a Mourning Dove at a farm feed-yard on January 2, 1038; a Meadowlark on January 28 and February 4; a Sparrow Hawk on February 2; a Bronzed Crackle on February 3. — F. J. PIERCE, Winthrop, Iowa. The Arctic H orned Owl in Chickasaw County, On October 31, 1937, a farmer killed a male Arctic Horned Owl (Bubo vir^htianu j ntbantUui} eight miles east of Nashua, Chickasaw County, Iowa. Mrs. William H. Kent, who discovered the specimen hanging in front of a doctor's office in Nashua, sent it to me. It was preserved and is now in my collection. DuMont, in ( A Revised List of the Birds of Iowa' (1933), lists three Iowa specimens of this bird. — 0, P. ALLERT, Giard, via McGregor, Iowa. A Winter Kingfisher. — Winter records for the Belted Kingfisher in our locality are quite rare. I was pleasantly surprised to hear one's ‘rattle' on January 8, 1938, and, looking overhead, I saw it fly along the river, which is usually open in places due to springs. I had never before seen the Kingfisher here in winter, although I have visited that section of the river every two weeks to place food for the birds for the past three years. There was 2 to 4 inches of snow on the ground, and the temperature for the day was, maximum 12% minimum 4%— M. L. JONES, Pomeroy, Iowa, Meadowlarks and Mourning Doves as Winter Residents.— On Decem- ber L4, 1937, Borden Buchanan, Cecil Crabb and I saw two Meadow- larks three miles east of James, in Plymouth County, Iowa. These birds were feeding in the tracks of a gravel road on the west side of a hill. We studied them at close range for several minutes. On the same day, about 3Vz miles east of Luton in Woodbury County, we saw a flock of about 18 Mourning Doves feeding on a gravel road and sitting in a sheltered place against the bank on the north side. Later the flock flew into a patch of willows, several acres in size, which borders the road. There was about four inches of snow on the ground, temperature was about freezing, and sleet had fallen at intervals all afternoon.— WILFRED D. CRABB, Sioux City, Iowa. Winter Notes from the Cedar Falls Audubon Socie ty, — On December 27, 1937, ten members of our society went on a field trip. Three mem- bers living in Cedar Heights went out in that section, and seven of us went to the cedar grove north of Cedar Falls. We saw flocks of Slate- colored Juncos, Goldfinches, Purple Finches, and Cedar Waxwings, and in smaller numbers the Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, Crow, Barred Owl, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Chickadee and Cardinal. On December 19, 1937, Miss Mabel Hanan and 1 went to the cedar grove, which is usually an excellent place for winter birds because they find both protection and food there. A light snow was falling, and we found Slate-colored Juncos, Goldfinches and Tree Sparrows in such large flocks we did not even estimate the number. We saw 4 Robins, a large flock of Purple Finches, 7 Red Crossbills, 10 or 12 Starlings, 50 or more Cedar Waxwings with which were a few Bohemian Wax- wings, as well as a number of the common winter residents. Mrs. Warren Tay, a member of our society, reports that the American Magpies are still living on her father's farm in Bremer County. The Magpies have been there continuously for more than a year (see ar- ticle on their nesting on this farm in Towa Bird Life' for September, 1937, p. 34). She also reports a Meadowlark wintering on that farm. Mrs. Chas. M. Deal, vice-president of our society, reports that a Bronzed Crackle has been living in their neighborhood in Cedar Heights since the middle of December. It makes daily visits to her foodshelf and to her neighbors' foodshelves.— MRS. RAY S. DIX, Cedar Falls, Iowa, January 12, 1938. RECENT BIRD BOOKS 13 Winter Meadowlarks in Shelby County.— Students in my classes had at various times reported seeing Meadowlarks during the past winter, but I had doubted their information until January 28, 1938, when three boys and T drove out to a place seven miles northeast of Shelby. We stopped on a hill overlooking a meadow and cornfield. Before we had time to get out of the car several Meadowlarks' notes came to our ears. By making a wide circle through the held, we were able to “round up" 22 larks before they took flight over the hill, and there might have been others present. I was near enough to one lark to recognize a dead grasshopper in its bill. All the birds looked as though they had had plenty to eat. Presumably, these were Western Meadow- larks. — IVAN BOYD, Shelby, Iowa. Winter Meadowlarks in Black Hawk County. — On the morning of December 25, 1937, while driving on the highway near Hudson, I saw two Meadowlarks on the shoulder of the highway. 1 stopped the car and we walked back to verify our observation. The birds made no attempt to fly but squatted on the snow with their feathers puffed out until they looked like round balls. Returning the next afternoon, we saw the two larks at almost the same spot, busily feeding in the grass on the shoulder of the highway. Between Hudson and Cedar Falls we saw another Meadowlark. Several people have reported seeing Meadowlarks in this vicinity during the past winter; my records show them to be more common than in other winters. I have observed Golden-crowned Kinglets around the college campus in Cedar Falls all during the past winter. I have seen a few each winter, usually in December, but I had not before seen so many nor for so long a period.— WINIFRED GILBERT, Cedar Falls, Iowa, RECENT BIRD BOOKS THE BOOK OF BIRDS, edited by Gilbert Grosvenor and Alexander Wetmore (National Geographic Society, Washington, D. C., 1937; 2 vols.; cloth, pp. 1-738 of which 204 are in colors, 228 photographs and l? maps; price, $5). The publication of this book marks the completion of one of the most ambitious undertakings of the National Geographic Society — that of presenting in one work colored pictures of all the major species of birds occurring in United States and Canada, with accompanying descriptive text. The bird series, one group of birds at a time, has been appearing in the ‘National Geographic Magazine' over a period of several years. No expense has been spared in the project, and the results have been highly praiseworthy. The bird paintings are from the brush of Major Allan Brooks. We have this artist at his best. The bird biographies are written in a brisk, readable style by Alexander Wetmore, T. Gilbert Pearson, Robert Cushman Murphy, Allan Brooks, Henry W. Henshaw and Arthur A. Allen — each man an eminent author- ity on American ornithology. In addition, there have been special articles on various phases of bird study, as well as photographs by the nation's best bird photographers. It is a series that has exerted a tremendous educational influence among the thousands of ‘Geographic’ readers. The new book puts all this excellent material into a more convenient, accessible form, in which it will reach other thousands of readers, many of whom would not have access to the magazine. A rather short descriptive sketch is given each species, setting forth its s:zo. range, prominent habits anti characteristics, and including many personal experiences of the authors; 033 species are thus de- scribed. The reader will gain much knowledge of the birds and. with an aroused interest, he carl consult other works for more complete life histories. The 204 pages in color include 950 individual bird portraits. All are by Major Brooks with the exception of one group of warblers by Louis A. Fuertes reprinted from earlier plates. The photographs are largely by Arthur A. Allen. Among the special articles Francis 14 IOWA BIRD LIFE — VIII, 1938 H. Herrick's account of the Eagle's nest life, Allen’s chapter on hunt- ing with a microphone, and F. C, Lincoln's description of migration and bird-banding are especially noteworthy. The green buckram bind- ing is very sturdy and attractive. The book is sold at a low cost price, the initial expense of plates, etc. having been previously assumed by the magazine, and the generous Society not wishing to make a profit on its sale. We believe that it offers more value for the money than any other general bird book now on the market, and it deserves a place in every public library. The book is obtainable only from the Society. — F. J. P. * * * * * AUDUBON THE NATURALIST, by Francis Hobart Herrick ( D. Appleton-Century Co., New York, 1938; 2nd edition, 2 vols. in one; cloth, total pp. 1013, 118 illustrations inch 4 colored pis.; price, $0), Of the half dozen or more biographies of Audubon which have ap- peared during the last two decades, several have been highly imagina- tive and fiction-like — -useful in creating an interest in the subject but not to be considered as good biography. Dr. Herrick’s ‘Audubon the Naturalist', published in two volumes in 1917, laid the foundation upon which all subsequent biographies have been built. His book and Stanley C. Arthur's recent work are the two important biographies of the naturalist that have been produced during the period mentioned. There were not enough copies of the first edition of ‘Audubon the Naturalist' to go around. Late-seekers (and the reviewer was one) found that the book was out of print, and both advertising and combing the stocks of dealers in second-hand books failed to uncover an available copy. In the present revival of interest in Audubon, the new edition of Herrick's authoritative work is an event of timely importance. Dr. Herrick gathered his materials both in Europe and America, and spent years in patient research. His book is a masterpiece of detail and thoroughness. In spite of its length, the reader finds it very in- teresting and not at all tedious. Audubon's life was richly documented. He left voluminous journals covering almost his entire adult life. He wrote hundreds of letters* and there is a great amount of other data bearing directly or indirectly on his eventful career. Dr. Herrick very skillfully sifted and assembled this material, and in his clear, scholarly style wrote the book that will doubtless stand for all time as our most complete life of Audubon. Until the publication of this book in 1917, the world did not know the place, date or circumstances of Audubon's birth, which, as shown by the documents discovered by Dr, Herrick, occurred at Les Cayes, Santo Domingo, April 20, 1785. Several recent biographers have been inclined to discredit these documents and have, perhaps for the sake of adding an element of mystery, given credence to the theory that Audubon was the “Lost Dauphin", son of Louis XVI of France. Dr. Herrick devotes 30 pages to a refutation of this theory. With his proof so clearly presented it seems that this matter should not cause further trouble. The book takes up the events of Audubon’s colorful life in chronological order: His boyhood in France, with drawing studies under the painter David: his return to United States at the age of 18 and first studies of American birds; his growth to manhood, his marri- age, followed by business ventures, nearly all of which were unsuccess- ful, in various parts of the country; and the arduous work toward, and the final accomplishment of his goal — the production of ‘The Birds of America'. His life contains many of the elements of fiction — travel, romance, joy, sadness, failure, success, anti a consuming de- votion to one purpose— but is much more interesting because of having the virtue of truth. This second edition is evidently an exact reprint of the first edition of 1917, with a 36-page chapter on the “Lost Dauphin" added, and the bibliography and a few other details brought up to date,— F. J. P. f ! A New Edition! 1 IOWA ORN. UNION'S | “Field Cheek- List” j The last edition of S000 copies ] n'js sold out within a year* An- j : other edition of 5000 has been * J printed and is ready for distribu- tion. The prices remain the same, j 500, $2 .1? 100, 50c 5 0 or less, [ /ic each All orders sent post [mid Printed on j \ f card. yood stock, listing all Iowa birds to be found ! through the year. Convenient lor filing. Have a supply ready for | | spring so you can put every trip on j \ permanent record. \ 1 Send orders to j ! MISS KATE LA MAR, Secy. ! 1231 39th St., j Des Moines, Iowa Out of Doors j With Birds j I EMMA F. BYERS i * ■ ■ * I In singing words the l author tells the story of her intimate and growing knowledge of birds, and gives pointers for rceog- j nizing them. A spring- time addition to your : ! librarv. i ! i $l i ; ! i The Womans Press 600 Lexington Avenue ( NEW YORK, N. Y. Arisfocraf of Binoculars DIALYT 6 x 30 6 x 42 7 x 42 8 x 50 7 x 56 8 x 56 Advanced prismatic arrangement Elimination of bulk Streamline design .... Enormously reduced weight Extra large objectives Distinct visability day and night ra Hen sol dt Dialvt binoculars combine maxi- mum light-gathering power with minimum weight, making them the desirable glasses for bird students. U rite for desert pti re booklet Galyt Field Glass, 4 x 40, ( non-prism atic ) - $30.00 M. HENSOLDT & SONS, INC. 253a BROADWAY NEW YORK, N. Y. * Welcome to \ HEADQUARTERS HOTEL | I j for your j i i 1938 Iowa Ornithologists’ Union CONVENTION j MAY 6 - 7 j i =♦— I • COFFEE SHOP j (Good food — moderately priced) • DRUG STORE ! (Fountain Luncheonette) ■ • ROOMS ! (From £2. SO single with bach From $L7S single without bath) I HOTEL monTROSE I CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA