Spotted Sandpiper Lights in Bushes.—While out looking for birds back of the depot here at Farmington, I saw a Spotted Sandpiper fly and light on a bush which hung out over the water. They have done this before when I have been at the same place. There is a small creek back of the depot and a sewer runs into it from the village. The Sandpipers were here picking up bugs and worms from the mud on the banks of the creek.—H. W. Jewell, Farmington.
An Albinistic Hermit Thrush.—On the morning of May 17th, 1909, the writer saw an albinistic Hermit Thrush at Westbrook, Me. The bird was not captured. The entire head and upper part of the neck and throat appeared to be white and immaculate, and the large spots of the breast were resumed below the albinistic portion, their irregular upper border showing the irregular termination of albinistic portion. The unusual number of Hermit Thrushes seen that morning made it appear that a movement was in progress. The bird has not been seen since. Should any one see the bird, it is to be hoped that it may be reported through these pages.—Arthur H. Norton, Portland.
A Robin's Strange Nesting Place.—I found a year or two ago what seemed to me to be an interesting incident, which was in the shape of a Robin's nest built on a ledge, the ledge being on a level with the surrounding land. A small bush gave protection from the blazing rays of the sun. The nest was six feet from the track (Sandy River Railroad), where four passenger trains passed, also several freight trains each day, but did not disturb the bird in the least.—H. W. Jewell, Farmington.
Notes from Franklin Co.—I saw a Wood Thrush near Farmington village, May 21st. I had visited the same place the morning before without hearing it. I saw another May 24th, near my home in Avon. May 23d, I saw a Philadelphia Vireo. It was singing in a clump of small trees on a bank in a field. The same day I saw a Veery with a pure white place on its upper parts. It seemed to be on the wing near the rump, about the width of a feather, and one-half to three-fourths inches long.—Dana W. Sweet, Phillips.
Late Myrtle Warblers.—On account of illness I have been unable to watch the migration of birds except from the piazza of my cottage in South Portland. As late as May 22nd, a considerable flock of Myrtle Warblers frequented the small gray birch trees which abound here. There were from twenty-five to forty individuals, in all grades of plumage. The adult males are very brilliant in slaty blue, black and yellow. This date seems to me to be quite late for so many of these birds to be in this section of the state, as they rarely nest here. A few Yellow Palm Warblers are with the Myrtles, and it is late for them to be so far south. Brown Thrashers, Catbirds, Baltimore Orioles and Yellow Warblers are quite numerous around the cottage. A large flock of Tree Swallows fly around the field all day, seeking insects in the air, but often settling down among the bayberry bushes and varying their early fare with the waxy berries.—W. H. Brownson, Portland.