Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-16

Winter Bird.

There Is no better time to begin the
study Of birds than winter. The few that
brave the cold aud storm force themselves
upon our attention. Fitting over the
snow or among the bare trees they are
easily observed and people with homes in
the country have abundance of leisure for
this pleasant diversion. Even the nests of
those birds that are'gone can now be col
lected without fear of infringing upon the
laws Of the State or the feelings OF the
birds themselves. In fact, winter seems
TO be good season for studying almost
any depai tment Of natural history. There
is q charm in finding 80 much OF nature
presenting objects worthy Of study, when.
to the thoughtless observer. the world
presents only dreariness and death. In
the dreariest winter day there Is always
enough of life itself or its products at
hand to reward observation and quicken
the mind for the best use OF books. In
that most charming work. which 80 few
have read and which every lover Of pa
ture ought to read, "Episodes of Insect
Life," the study begins as the new year is
usbered 10 by the chirping Of the ''cricket
under the hearh," and so the cricket's
scientific name, acketa domestica, became
the nom de plume of the author. Fortu-
nately in this study OF birds we have no
time 10 spend in long definitions. for a bird
IL bird all the world over. so we'll marked
that it can never be mistaken for
any other member of the animal king
DOM Even the ostrich and penguin, the
straDgest forms among the whole family,
would be known at once as birds by the
merest child.
We naturally associated wealth Of bird
life with the coming Of spring, the OPEN
ing of leaves and flowers. But the ocean
birds hold their place along the coast in
spite of cold and storm. In the fiercest
winter weather. the Esquinaux of the
northern coast and Greenland find birds
abundant on the many islands of their
coast and the ptarmigan grousa at least
are abundant on their hills. The mission
aries Of Greenland pointed out to me hill
on the sides OF which the Esquimaux of
Gothaub killed more than 60O0 ptarmigan
in q single winter.
The shore birtis are too abundant and
vet too far from the reach of the most of
ms. tor the winter study we propose they
and the birds of the tar north that never
visit our fields and forests we must be
content to study in books and observe as
stuffed specimens in museums. 1t is to a
very different work that we are now in
vited, to study our common winter resi-
dents and those that breeding in the far
north come south in winter to enjoy the
mildness of New England climate in con-
trast with the bleakness and intense cold
that prevail In winter months, where they
have their summer homes. In our Or
chards on wintry DAYS or in the forest
swamps, or in fiercest storms. cleaning a
scanty fare around our barns and stables.
comes the little black-capped tit
mouse or chicadee. He has confidence in
men that is not always well placed, for as
he swings from the slender branches, he
offers q tempting object to boy-marksmen
who ALWAYS want to kill. When the
weather is keen, the little fellow looks
like notified ball of down. for his small
body is wonderously provided for against
the cold of winter. He comes to enliven
our shortest DAYS and search on our trees
for minute forms of life that we are glad
TO spare. He gives us plenty of time for
study without using the murderous gun.
His black cap and cravat his easy
going ways and cheerful. rustic note make
him pleasant winter study. We may be
this case among birds. the males and fe-
males are dressed almost exactly alike.
In summer they become more rare. Here
and there pair remains with us. choose
hole In some old stump or tree. and raise
their young. But this nest is in some Sc
cluded spot and rarely found. Though
reckoned as a constant resident, we al
ways think Of the chicadee as winter
bird, and associate the CHEEKY little fellow
with the wintry storms he so often braves.
Through the day busy with his work, at
its close he finds some sheltered nook ?
and as MIR. Minot tells us, pillows his little
head beneath his wing and sleeps the
night away.
At the very time we are watching the
chicadee hanging from limb, quick.
sharp note may call our attention. to trim
little bird that with rapid movements runs
up and down the limbs and trunk Of the
trees, turning his head for glance of his
keen eye into every crack of the broken
bark. He has the movement of the wood
pecker and the look OF larger sized
chicadee with trim suit of feathers, a
brisker. more determined movement than
his fellows have. This is the nut-hatch. or
one of them, for there are two species
quite common with us,so nearly alike that
on the tree the difference would hardly APP
pear were it not for the feathers of the bel
~. The two are known rs the white and
red bellied nut-hatchers. The latter is the
rxrer bird OF the two. The tit-mice, nut
hatchers and little woodpeckers which
everybody knows, often appear together
US though they claimed relationship from
some ancient stock. or had divided the
work of inspecting the trees among them.
the tit.mice caring chiefly for the slender
branches. the nut-hatches for the loose
bark OF the trunk and larger limbs. and
the woodpecker for the deeper injuries
where his sharp bill and mallet head can
dislodge the enemies that would defy the
other birds that bear him company. These
little tree inspectors, the tit-mice, nut
matches and winter woodpecker. make one
good lesson for a winters evening and to
watch them at their work will enliven our