12 15 feet from the presumptive nest location, staring in that direction B came down, came to me for a worm, then began looking for twigs on the ground directly under Rhody! I wonder what he knows about R's food habits. A passing milk truck caused the birds to disperse for a time, but B was back again at the nesting location working and R was prowling around somewhere near rattling his beak softly. He has not done this either for a long time. Clearly things are beginning to stir, although it is nearly two months before winter (astronomically) ends. Precisely with the blowing of the twelve o'clock whistles B burst into full song from the "nest" and Nova ran to him from about a hundred feet distance. R was sunning himself innocently on a bank in the orchard, perhaps already tasting thrasher eggs (or chicks) in anticipation. still works. 1:45 P.M. Brownie is working hard in the kangaroo thorn, tearing off shade-killed twigs for his nest. Nova not seen. The growth is too dense to see inside clearly and one risks being skinned alive if he tries to penetrate it. 3:08 P.M. Went and sat inside the fence, outside the glade, near the fence. B not in sight, but he soon came to me for worms, from the direction of the nest. He shows already a certain amount of anxiety about it. When a jay screamed he jumped down from my knee and ran toward the nest, looked all around and returned. After finishing the worms, he began gathering twigs and carrying to the same t spot. No further observations until: 5:15. Neither R nor B in his accustomed sleeping place. This is understandable for B, not for R. 5:30 (Sunset 5:30). Rhody still not at home. B singing full song in the glade. New for this season. 5:45. Neither at usual roost. 5:50 B is in his nest in the dorm. What has come over Rhody? Has he shifted nearer to nest 10? so as not to miss the first egg? 8:45 P.M. The scamp is definitely not in his regular roost.