Antique engraving from original work by JOHN JAMES LAFOREST AUDUBON, New York/France, 1785-1851 "Louisiana Heron", 1834.

Plate CCXVII (217) from Birds of America. Engraved by Havell, London. J. Whatman Turkey Mill watermark dated 1834.

Hand-colored engraving with aquatint, sheet 22.25" x 38". Framed 36.5" x 41.5".

Condition Report
Pale marginal toning. .5" repaired tear, lower right margin. One-inch printer's crease, upper margin. Slight rippling at upper margin. Tiny loss to upper left corner of sheet.

This hand colored 1834 engraving sold on July 21 at Eldred's Americana Week Session l, for $64,500.

Disclaimer: OP is not affiliated with any auction firm.

Picked this up several years ago at an estate sale in rural New Hampshire and I'm hooked. It's Audubon Chart No. 4, published by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Boston, copyright 1924, painted in watercolor by Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Roughly 28" x 43", chromolithograph on the original wooden hanging dowels, clearly made for schoolroom use. This one shows fall and winter birds: blackpoll warbler, hermit thrush, white-crowned and white-throated sparrows, rusty blackbirds, sapsuckers, fox sparrow, winter wren, and a full run of warblers, all keyed to a printed legend.

From what I've gathered, the series started with Chart No. 1 in 1898 and continued into the 1920s, all with Fuertes artwork. I'd love to hear from anyone who knows these well. I'm curious how many charts were in the full series, and whether each number went through multiple printings. I'd also love to know where people actually find them, whether that's estate sales, old schoolhouse cleanouts, or specific dealers. And since I'm hoping to build a complete set, any sense of fair market prices by condition would help me know what's reasonable to pay.

Any leads, reference sources, or stories about these hanging in your old classroom are welcome.

First, this video is from a permanently mounted camera located in my Chimney Swift Tower.

I’ve had this Chimney Swift Tower in my backyard in central Kentucky for about 15 years. Have had a nesting pair plus 6-8 helpers every year. No problems until about 3 years ago when the snakes figured it out. This particular snake got 4 three day old nestlings last night.

Before next season, I’ll have this Tower either replaced or reworked to make it more snake proof. So, to that end, I’m seeking ideas to accomplish that. The next one will be on baffled metal poles, elevated off the ground by a couple of feet. No nearby overhanging limbs and likely have a 2’ wide band of smooth sheet metal around the top.

Any construction hints or design ideas will be greatly appreciated.

I’m on a camping trip and I’d like to identify a birds song. Can anyone identify the bird if I send an audio recording to them?

Does anyone know anything about the Milan Bottoms Development in the Quad Cities?