April 20, 1947, Corvallis, 3 p.m. Stormy and 1500 Ovc. Strong winds and RW- Canada Geese - quite a few flights have been going over today, north. April 21, 1947, Avery Park, Corvallis 7 p.m. Flicker flew from maple tree to the dirt pathway, pecked around in a small area for a few minutes, and then proceeded to dust himself in that spot. Robin nest on south side of an 8" north-leaning Ash tree. Nest at 6½ feet, over the water in the pond, where the ash was growing, supported by small, upright coppice growth. Pond on north side of a tall fir grove, well-shaded. Black-throated Gray Warbler - saw one in the small firs at south end of park. April 22, 1947, 12-mile Swamp, Bruce, 1340-1645, -Ø N 3-8, warm. Blue Heron - one wading in shallow water in the open north end of the swamp. Mallards - seemed to be paired up. Perhaps 35 or 40 pair. Baldpates - 1M, and 1M-2F seen for sure. May have been a few others. Pintails - paired up, perhaps 30 or 40 pair altogether. Green-winged Teal - perhaps 2 or 3 dozen were seen. Cinnamon Teal - again we saw a beautiful male, perhaps the same one, and it seemed to be alone, for when flying, or feeding, it was always by itself. Shoveller - 2M to 1F, and perhaps 125-150 birds altogether. Osprey - just before leaving Dave spotted a "hawk" flying over the swamp. We saw it was an Osprey, and it was being chased by Redwings, and did a "snap roll" to evade them and continue on its northward course. Had a fair view of it. As it went over the north end, most of the ducks took off, and spread out in all directions. Virginia Rail - first saw this species on April 8th, and located at least 2 pair today. Walking thru sedge meadow and found ourselves "surrounded" by a female. We stood still and it worked its way completely around Tom and I, never being farther out than 15 feet from us. All the time it uttered one particular call note of alarm at the rate of about 30/minute. The sound began with a barely audible sound like that of a quite taut rubber band (med. weight) being snapped, and then the clearly audible part consisted of a sound not unlike that produced by us when we hold a blade of grass between our hands and "squawk or squeek" it. The birds note varied some. While the one bird was working its way around us thru the spike-rush and sedge, a second bird remained almost within a 3 foot radius some 20 feet away, and gave the same alarm note, and also another, deeper, "gargling" or grunting series of sounds, and these were occasionally taken up by the female, as well (assuming the sex). Finally the F came into a sedge clump 6 feet away and stopped scolding, and quieted down long enough for a "breather" and then we heard it "purr", or at least the sound suggested that to both of us, tho it was barely audible. Then I spotted a small black young swimming thru the spike-rush toward the parent, evidently it had remained "frozen" until the "purring" signal from the parent. The young was 2¼" long, the tarsus was 1½" long, and blue-black. Iris brownish-black. Skin pinkish white. Body covered with a dense, long, glossy black down, the cutest little dickens you ever saw. The bill was pinkish, white at the base, with a black band around it, not quite ½-way out. The "egg nail" was still prominent on the upper tip of the bill Sora Rail - checked up on last week's call and this is it. Tom coaxed one up to within 10 feet of it, by repeating the "ker-wee" notes. Heard just the one pair today. Wilson Snipe - quite a few in the flooded pasture area. Heard several "winnowing". Yellowlegs - perhaps there were 100-125 today, well scattered thruout the swamp area. Crows in field Mourning Dove - heard Kingfisher - 1 Tule Wren - heard one Violet-green Swallows - a few Robins - a few Tree Swallows - a couple seen Pipits - flock of 3 and 50& - late birds Barn Swallows - saw the first 2 of the year Cassin Vireo - in area of ash scrub. Cliff Swallows - one for sure. Pac. Yellowthroat - 2 seen. Redwings - new nest last week had 4 in it today. Tom took pic. Nest with 1 egg last week had 4 today. Samantha Sig. Puget Sound Sparrow Song Sparrows.