The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-03-03
Birds Of Winter.

Birds Of Winter.
There are no more winsome guests
In winter than the graceful little snow
birds. What beautiful, perfectly-fin-
ished pieces of Natures workmanship
they are! How intense is the luster of
their tiny black eyes! What q vivid
ray of intelligence darts from those
electric life-centers! All birds impress
us with keen sense of their Astounding
vitality; but the snow-bird is one of
those in which we recognize some
thing closely akin to an acutely-sensi-
tive, delicately-organized human being.
There is dreamy suggestion of poetic
beauty about the fairy-like little Great
ures. The pure ivory wh;teness of
their slender bill, 50 daintily turned, so
smoothly polished, translucent and
pinky in the sunlight, is a unique mark
of aristocratic distinction.
OF different race from these mild
and gentle pets are the pugnacious En-
glish sparrows, who battle so tiercely
over the possession OF bigger crumb
or fuller grain. They are Of the earth,
earthly; and their gatherings, their
seedlings and squabbles are quite as
commonplace as those of some of theft
human brothers. Crowding to the
feeding ground in Noisy focks, they
settle down contentedly to the repast;
each fluffy little ball Of feathers strong
ly relieved against the snow, then ris:
ing with many flutterinys and chirp-
ings they circle merrily in the welcome
CLEANS of winter sunshine, leaving tho
snowy surface just trodden SO diligent-
~ by them covered with an intricate
pattern Of delicate network, the mark
ings made BY those slender but busy lit
tie feet Of theirs.
The chicAdee, OF titmouse, that tiny
bird whose CHEEKY courage in Drawing
the rigors of our winter Emerson has
shown forth in the crystal mirror of his
verse, is our occasional guest at this
season. In his thick plumage of gray
and black, relieved with white, so sug-
gestive in its color and texture of the
furs worn by some Arctic explorer, he
bravely makes his way through the
snowy woods, perching now and again,
while his merry note rings forth no un-
meaning challenge to all the powers of
the air that wait in the train of old win
ter and do his bidding. Ice, frost,
snow, Sleet, hail, rime, he cheerfully
meets them all undaunted. Whether
the storm cloud darkens the air with
smothering flakes, or whether the spirit
of piercing cold, whose touch is a stab,
and whose grasp is death, walks abroad,
the radiant heart of the chicadee beats
unchilled and his clear note still sounds
on in triumph of gayety. What fiery
spark of vitality burns in the breast of
this least of creatures!
Here moves this atom in full! breath,
Hurting defiance ut vast DEATH
But passing from the chicadee to
another bird of the same race, the
downy woodpecker, we can but pay
homage in our strongest terms of adj
miration to so exquisite a creature, an
incarnation Of natures most dainty and
luxurious mood: MY lord is assuredly
one of the darlings of luxury. The ad-
jective downy, which descriptive science
has applied to him, exactly suggests
the texture and gloss of his wonderful
plumage. This prince of the wood
peckers rarely condescends to display
his royal robes of velvet and ermine-
velvet of the richest, jettiest die, err
mine of the purest, intensest whiteness
in the plebeian precincts of our door
yards; but on some damp November
morning you may hear his high, insist
ent, repeated note, and, glancing out,
you will soon discover this. feathered
aristocrat fiuttering about with an as
sured air of domination among the leaf
less branches, while he taps the
bark with his powerful bill, after
the characteristic manner of his
race. He is scarcely larger than
arobin, though his white plumage en-
hances his apparent size; and his mot
as familiar as the feathers of the silver
spangled Poland fowls, but no robin.
much less domestic fowl, ever bore
himself with the lordly ease of this free
creature of the woods. You may come
quite near him; he hardly deigns to
notice your approach; nor shows a1y
more fear of you than of the small birds
who gather in humble admiration
around the superb stranger, or hur-
riedly retire before his imposing pres
ence. Fresh from the solitude of the
deep woods, he knows no law but his
own regal will, no domain other than
that which he claims by hereditary
right. When you have succeeded in
prevailing upon this royal wanderer to
accept your poor hospitality, you feel
as deeply honored as did any humble
adherent of the exiled Stuart, when
that monarch graciously supped with
his loyal retainer.-Cor. Rrovide'scs r..
~ Journal.