Lake Umbagog journals, 1871-1916 (inclusive)
Page 112
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Transcription
Dendroica castanea. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Nest. 1897. As we were following the path which leads around the boat June 14. cove Jim was lucky enough to find a nest of the Bay-breasted Warbler containing five fresh eggs. It was on a stout, droop- ing branch of a large red spruce about 5 ft. from its extremi- ty, 13 ft. from the main trunk, and 20 ft. above the ground. The female sat very closely, refusing to move when the branch was shaken with some violence and only leaving her eggs when Watrous struck the twigs close over her head with a long stick. She then flew down into some young arbor vitaes where the male immediately joined her and both birdsbegan feeding neither showing any solicitude or appearing to notice the movements of Mr. Watrous who, with a stout rope, first tied the branch firmly to the trunk above and then walking out on it secured the nest and eggs. Previous to this I had of course identi- fied the female to my entire satisfaction. I also took sev- eral photographs of the nest before it was disturbed. Like most nests of this Warbler it showed plainly enough from be- neath looking very like a large nest of a Chipping Sparrow but from above and from every side it was well concealed by the spruce foliage that pressed close over and around it. Be- fore the female was started her mate was singing steadily in some hemlocks about 20 yards from the nesting tree. // 110