June 13, 1946, 12-mile Swamp, 8:00-15:00, Brkn/ W 1-3, warm, scattered by noon. Pied-billed Grebe - a pair seen at edge of ash clump in spike-rush area at 9 a.m. calling Blue Herons - several feeding in area, and others seen to fly over. Anthony's Green Heron - probably just one individual seen at north end in a.m., but another seen in the p.m. at the south end. Bittern - just one flushed from sedge area near ash island in north half. No nest found. Mallards - a couple of full males seen, and other not in full plumage. At least a half dozen females around, and each gave evidence of having families. I flushed 3 different groups of young in various parts of the swamp, that could not fly. These groups contained 7, 8, and 11 totals. Some hens tried to decoy me away. Wood Duck - just 2 flushed from scrub ash between the swamp and Muddy creek. Bufflehead - at 2 p.m. I spotted an immature Hooded Merganser (probably 3/4 size) in company with a female or immature Bufflehead on the south end pond. It was probably an immature, for the wing speculum was not full white yet, just a tinge of grayish. These two birds moved together, but only the Bufflehead did any diving while I watched. Another imm. or female Hooded Merganser was on the same pond, about 30 feet away. I finally flushed these birds, each Merganser going in a different direction, and the Bufflehead to the far-south pond. When I approached this pond I saw there were no w two Buffleheads in the same state of plumage. I watched them for at least 15 minutes, pushing them just a little bit as I moved towards them. While I was doing this, the merganser that had been accompanying the 1st bufflehead I saw now swam up a "creek" (which ran thru this part of the swamp" and finally joined the two buffleheads. I got within 50 feet of them on open water, and studied them a while longer before flushing them, and then all three birds returned to the first pond on which I had seen one of them. Bufflehead eye - brown. Hooded Merganser - see text of Bufflehead Turkey Vultures - circling over the area continuously all the time I was there. Marsh Hawk - female adult seen, over field to the east of the swamp. Found no nest in the swamp area. Sparrow Hawks - a couple of them on wire lines along road. Bob-whites - 3 in gravel road by the cabin at 9 a.m. Valley Quail - calling from Muddy creek area west of swamp. Virginia Rail - I came across at least 7 separate family groups over the entire swamp today. Even the young gave the loud alarm notes, and they would practically surround me if I happened to move into their midst. No downy young seen. All were well-feathered, but lighter colored than the adults it seemed to me. Sora Rail - did not find any nests, and only heard one bird about 10 a.m. Killdeer - calling as they flew around the area. Wilson's Snipe - when I arrived at the swamp I saw one bird fly from the swamp area and light in a field 100 feet from the road. That was 9 a.m. At noon I went out into that area where I had seen it light, and flushed it from a now dry "winter-pool" area that was mostly bare, still damp ground, but with scattered grasses, Allium amplexens, Downingia elegans, and Mimulus tricolor, and Plagiobothrys figuratus, giving some idea of the site. Tho I coured over the area, I was unsuccessful in locating a nest, or young. Mourning Love - several pairs in the area. Found a new nest located on the north side of a spirea clump along the east edgg of an ash grove. The nest was on a horizontal 1" ash limb, that was dead. Nest of grasses, and about 5" across. One adult was on the nest, but no eggs, etc. Nest well-shaded. Nest #2 - Located in some nearly horizontal, dead limbs of a Spirea douglasii bush that provided plenty of shade for the nest, which was of grasses, and 5" across. The nest was on the SE side of the bush, with outlet to the SE only. The nest was only 10" above the water !!! There were two "wire-covered" dark-skinned young birds sitting quietly side-by-side facing to the SE. Total length about 3 1/2". No flight feathers open yet, tho shafts were over 1" long already. Banded #41-354644 & 45. The spirea shrub was at least 75' from the nearest dry land, and isolated by water. Rufous Hummingbirds - a couple seen. W. Belted Kingfisher - one along west side of marsh, perched high in ash tree. Flicker - a couple calling from ash groves. Little Flycatcher - several in the area, sallying forth from dead ash trees Horned Larks - singing earlier in the a.m., from nearby fields, and in the air. Violet-green Swallows - common Tree Swallows - several seen. OVER OVER OVER