Following a very dry season during the first four months of 1959, heavy rains fell in all parts of the state bringing precipitation up to normal by the end of July. In southeastern Minnesota, rivers rose to flood stage in May. There were intermittent periods of heat and cold and at times in June the temperatures rose to above 90 in the south and at other times the weather was cold enough to register temperatures down near freezing in northern sections. In the Twin Cities robins built their nests later than usual, possibly due to the dry weather. In May and June the migration of most species proceeded normally.

Brother Theodore, Robert Janssen and others traveled through the state this season and Brother Theodore sent the following interesting and important reports.

May 6, there were two nests of Yellow-crowned Night-Herons near LaCrescent, Houston County. He saw only two birds. On June 13, he and others observed two King Rails north of St.

Paul, Ramsey County in a marsh at County Road D and Highway 8. East of Anoka there were many Upland Plovers and also Lark Sparrows. They found a Yellow Rail in Becker County June 27, which they were able to flush and capture when it became entangled in vegetation.

Along with several others, it was calling \\'hen they found it. They then went on to Rothsay, Wilkin County, where they saw a Marbled Godwit with three young and many Upland Plovers. Near vVaubun, Mahnomen County, LeConte's, Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows were common. In this area they observed three Greater Prairie-Chickens and a Shorteared Owl. About the Middle of May they went to Salt Lake, Lac qui Parle Coun- ty where they saw Eared Grebes, Wilson's Phalaropes, about 120 Northern Phalaropes, one Western Willet, Marbled Godwits, Hudsonian Godwits and most of the other shorebirds that normally pass through Minnesota. In Traverse County there was one ·western Sandpiper, three American Avocets, six Western Grebes and a goodly number of White Pelicans. On this trip they saw two Burrowing Owls.

Most of the spring shorebird migration occurred in the central and western parts of the state, at least nearly all reports came from there. W. R. Luwe saw a large concentration of shorebirds May 10, in Martin County, among them \Vilson's Phalaropes and Golden Plovers.

Observers in eastern Minnesota were not very fortunate in finding shorebirds due to low water levels. Baird's Sandpipers were seen in Ramsey County May 31 and a mixed flock of shorebirds loitered near Birch Lake, Ramsey County, the week of May 19. First reports of returning shorebirds, a few Lesser Yellow-legs, Leasts and one Western Sandpiper were received from A. C. Rosenwinkel. He saw them in Hennepin County and may have been non-breeding birds.

There was a sizable movement of Graycheeked and Swainson's Thrushes May 9, May 16 and May 22.

A very heavy wave of warblers occurred in the Twin Cities May 8 and a wave was observed by Mrs. George Lehrke in St. Cloud on the same date.

This movement must have been heavy throughout the state because reports came from western sections, also. A Black-throated Blue Warbler was reported by Mrs. E. W. Joul and others in Robert's Sanctuary, Minneapolis while they were observing this migration. A light wave of nearly all species passed leisurely through the state the third week in May. The Prothonotary Warbler nested again on the Vermillion River near Hastings, Dakota County and at Frontenac, Goodhue County. One apparently was looking for a nesting site on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River near Osceola, May 19. In the same area a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was seen.

A gnatcatcher was reported near North St. Paul and Mrs. E. vV. Joul discovered four pairs near Vasa, Goodhue County, May 17. The Blue-winged Warbler was present, also.

Mrs. C. L. Patchin reported that Tufted Titmice again nested at her home on the Minnesota River and they were successful in bringing off two young.

Mrs. Harlow Hanson, who also lives on the river near Bloomington, Hennepin County, stated that titmice nested and brought two young to her yard. Titmice still go to the E. Rogier feeder near Lake Minnetonka but there has been no visible young.

The peak of the migration of Whitethroated Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows occurred the second week of May.

There was a very large number of rob:ns in migration this spring and from all reports there was a successful hatching everywhere in the state in June.

The peak migration of Nighthawks took place May 16; they were reported from many localities on this date.

This was a Dickcissel year. They sang from fence posts and telephone wires throughout the countryside in the south half of the state mostly, as usual, near alfalfa fields.

A late record of migrating Blue and Snow Geese was reported by Brother Theodore. He saw about 200 fly over Minneapolis May 10.

The movement of flycatchers, vireos and swallows was normal.

John Jarosz and Harvey Gunderson of the Museum of Natural History reported the unusual circumstance of a Mourning Dove feeding three young, apparently all one family. Roberts, in the "Birds of Minnesota," states that rarely three eggs may be found in a Mourning Dove's nest and that three young may be reared.

The rare record of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was reported by James Lundgren. He saw it June 5 in Anoka County. It remained in the area for some time and he saw it more than once. There were strong winds at times in May which may have blown it up here so far from its home.

Carolina Wrens are not often seen as far north as the Twin Cities. A. C. Rosenwinkel saw one near St. Paul, Ramsey County, May 9.

It was reported that ducks had fewer nesting places this season due to the dry weather, especially in eastern areas, which may curtail the production. There were records of the Hooded Merganser in Hennepin County; this writer saw a male May 19 on a pond near White Bear, Ramsey County, and A. C. Rosenwinkel saw two young July 8. Mrs. E. W. Joul saw a female Hooded Merganser in Dakota County, May 17.

Apparently, Least Bitterns were numerous this season. There were several reports, one from Joel Bronoel who saw one within the Minneapolis city limits, July 9.

Large colonies of Cliff Swallows in Marshall County, were reported by William Longley. They utilized old buildings, bridges and farm buildings for their nesting sites. The colonies numbered from two to four hundred birds each.

Ernest H. Strubbe, Stevens County, stated in a letter dated July 13 that a pair of Marbled Godwits hatched two young in the county. He stated also that from six to eight hundred White Pelicans are spending the summer on Frog Lake and Flax Lake, Stevens County, about three or four miles south of Alberta. To his knowledge, these birds appeared for only a brief visit during some summers and in small numbers.

He stated that they appeared to be nonbreeding birds.

A letter dated June 4 from Delmar Holdgrafer, Donnelly, in Stevens County, stated that Bluebirds were raising a family in one of his birdhouses, which is unusual out in prairie country so far west. This spring the Eastern Bluebird population increased in southern and eastern Minnesota. Mr. Holdgrafer stated, too, that on the last day of May he took telephoto shots of two American Avocets near Donnelly. He observed a Northern Mockingbird May 1. Besides this observation there were several other reports.

Mr. and Mrs. Pottsmith saw a Northern Mockingbird with food in its mouth at Lost Lake near Biwabik, St. Louis County, which could indicate a nesting. Mr. and MIT.

Jerry Peleaux of Willmar saw a Northern Mockingbird in Gooseberry Park, Lake County, the week end of Memorial Day. Only one bird was seen. The last week in April, Alice Lang saw one in Minneapolis and Robert Janssen found one on the sand flats near Zimmerman, Sherburne County, the middle! of June. Two were banded by C. Johnson, April 30 and in mid-Apl"il one was reported in Washington County, by C. Bjorndahl. They were in Aitkin County, May 16-17, reported by William Pieper and in Cass County, reported by H. Hanson.

Again this spring in April and May, Common Egrets appeared in various localities, mostly in river valleys and lowlands.

On June 26, Dr. Woodward Colby reported to the Museum of Natural History and to this writer that about 30 Common Egrets appeared every evening and dropped into a tree growing on a wooded island in the Mississippi River, and which could be observed from his home. Upon investigation I found that they arrived in groups of from one to five every evening from sundown to dusk. They landed in the top of the same tree and gradually worked down into it until they were hardly visible.

This tree and another nearby contained several nests, some of them occupied by Great Blue Herons and young herons.

The Egrets were not seen during the day so presumably they were away at their feeding grounds, returning in the evening. Finally it became apparent that they came there to roost. Bent, in his "Life History of Marsh Birds," describes this roosting habit of the Common Egret. From this description, quote the following in part, "Unlike some other herons, the American (Common) Egrets do not feed at night but resort 1·egularly to favorite roosting places where large numbers congregate.

They gather at the roosting places just before dark, spend the night in the trees and scatter out over the surrounding country early in the morning. Audubon (1840), Maynard (1896) and Chapman ( 1892) all refer to this roosting habit.

Audubon 1840 writes, 'The American (Common) Egrets are much attached to their roosting places to which they remove from their feeding grounds regularly about an hour before the last glimpse of the day, to some secure retreat.

After some gratulations they lower their bodies on the stems of the trees or bushes on which they have alighted, fold their necks, place their heads beneath the scapular feathers and adjust themselves for repose. Daylight returns and they are all in motion.' Dr. Chapman (1892) refers to a roosting tree in Cuba as follows: 'There was a flock of about 20 birds at San Pablo which came each night to roost in a tree at the border of the river. They appeared with much regularity after sunset and after circling about the tree once or twice, alighted in its branches. This rookery was but 200 yards from the houses and mill of the estate and not more than 60 feet from a well traveled road'.'' Although the roosts described above by Bent, Audubon and Chapman were in localities in southern territories, these accounts accurately describe the roost here in Minnesota as observed by Dr.

Colby and myself, and as far as I know, is the only roost recorded in Minnesota, although Common Egrets are known to nest near Hastings and other areas.

The Minnesota Ornithologists' Union held its annual meeting and field trip May 30-31 at Douglas Lodge, Lake Itasca.

About 100 members were present.

The weather was cool and at times rain fell, but never-the-less the area was teeming with birds. Nearly all species of warblers were found, including the Black-throated Blue seen by Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Luwe.

Almost everyone saw the Black-backed American Three-toed Woodpecker which appeared to be nesting in one of three holes in a live evergreen tree. Both male and female were present. While under observation, the male spent most of its time in the one hole around which the bark had been stripped away. Apparently concerned about the presence of a Y e)low- bellied Sapsucker, he kept popping into the entrance of the hole to peer out. Finally he came out into the sunlight to show his satiny black back and his divided tail with which he braced himself against the tree. His three toes were evident, two forward and one back.