Evening star., 1901-11-09
Few in This Latitude and Mostly
Silent.
ROBINS HIDE IN THE EVBRGREENS
English Sparrows Know How to
Care for Themselves,
BUT HELP THE OTHERS
Written for The Evening Star by Olive Thorne
Miller

written Tor Inc Evening star Dy oife ihofhc
Miller.
There Is no color in the world
No lovely tint on hill or plain,
The summers golden sails are furled,
And sadly falls the autumn rain
CELIA THAxTER-
Now indeed is the winter OF our discon-
tent" No longer do the woods offer
friendly welcome. Nature seems to have
withdrawn into herself and cast us out as
aliens. Sometimes. shrouded in fog like
thick VEIL she hints that the show season
is over and the curtain down; again she
throws wet blanket of rain over our en-
thusiasms calls out the winds of heaven
to buffet and threaten us with falling
branches and uprooted trees. In every way
she shows herself inhospitable.
The few birds that brave her rigors take
life seriously. and are mostly silent. Bird
lovers are left with only the winter resi-
dents to comfort them till nature turns
again her smiling spring face toward US.
There is one exception to the winter birds
who take life seriously The chickadee, or
black-capped titmouse, who never deserts US,
is one of the most joyous of the feathered
tribe. His witching ways his dauntiess
Drawing of the weather, his undertaking
cheerfulness under all circumstances, are
well pictured by Emerson in his familiar
poem. During the months when the air Is
full of bird notes this little fellow takes
no very marked part in the grand chorus,
but no sooner do they begin to drop off
than he comes TO the front his plaintive-
sounding ''pe-wee'' becomes noticeable, and
his CHEEKY voice greets US everywhere. All
the members of the utmouse family, Eu-
ropean as well as American, show peculiar
traits-merry voices, tendency to quaint
antics. irrepressible energy, and fearless
ness or fondness for man. The warblers,
though likewise small and full Jof life. are
in every way different. Another bird who
makes himself and us happy through the
winter is the American goldfinch. Clad
In sober, inconspicuous garments, these
birds unite in focks and feed on the seeds
OF weeds and grains.
Winter Bed Rooms.
One cannot help wondering where these
and eur other feathered nel lghbors pass the
cold. clustering nights of this season. Owls,
We know, and woodpeckers. as well as
chickadees, have providently secured for
themselves comfortable bed rooms in trees.
English sparrows have intreuched them
selves in snug corners about our buildings,
under the roofs of railway stations and
warehouses, even in the pointed caps over
our electric lights. Some of our ground
loving winter residents delve under the
snow or find little tents where piles OF
brush have kept it up. The robin, when he
stays with u.s. creeps into the thickest
branches of an evergreen tree. No doubt
many of our winter friends such as
nuthatches, kingiets. brown creepers and
wrens, take possession of deserted wood
pecker nests But where does the gold
finch sleep2 What keeps the brave meadow
lark from freezing? Who prepares a cham
Der for the bluejay? 1t is far more sur
prisiHg that birds stay with us through me
winter than that they go 10 a more genial
climate. What can induce the possessors of
wings to brave the cold and hunger when
IL must be with difficulty that they can
Keep the life currents flowing, especially
when food is scarce or covered by snow or
l. n n
something toward their support. We may.
each one of us. in one little spot at least
be real Providence to them and be abun-
dantly repaid in the pleasure of watching
their interesting and quaint ways, not to
speak of the grateful colony we shall have
about us when they no longer need our
aid. Persons who have tried the plan of
feeding the birds every day-as one Is
bound in honor to do if one begins it-have
found 1t great pleasure as well as a help
to knowing these interesting fellow crea-
tures- So much has been written about
methods of carrying out this plan that il is
not necessary to repeat.
l will merely say it should be done regu-
larry, not only every day, but at the same
hour. For birds will soon learn to EXPECT
Ii and to depend on ii, and forgetting or
neglecting IT will cause suffering and prob
ably death. Also 1 will add that they will
eat almost anything eatable that Is small
enough to swallow or soft enough to he
pecked apart The charm of close ac-
qualntance with our beautiful little neigh
bors the happiness of winning their con-
hdenc and meeting the frank and fearless
glance of their eyes. their touching depend
ence on our bounty and their joyous thanks
OF song and chatter, these are delights that
must be experienced to be understood.
Brilliant Bluejays.
A favorite winter bird of New England
AMI the eastern states is that brilliant
little brother. the bIuejay.
mo birds remain OF all that love the sun
And winter tents upon the hills OF Maine
Then, loyal to their homes in many a band
Their blue wings fash through winters buffeting
days"
Lively. jolly. with no dignity to restrain
him. full of chatter and calls he does much
10 NIL the landscape and make up for the
many absences. He least of all the winter
residents could be spared. He always seems
Wei led and happy. No matter that food
IS scarce he does not NOPE and draw on
ones sympathies. His silken draperies seem
always fresh, his crest always alert and
saucy; his voice always in tune. The north
err shrike. on the contrary, is a bird of
dignity. He would sit and calmly starye
10 death. II starve he must but he would
never complain. Nor could he be guilty
o. such antics as delight In the biuejay
No frolics, no Shrek of JOY or fun ever
come from him Getting his living is
business matter to be treated seriously in
winter no less than In summer Yet he can
unbend and be not only a thoughtful and
careful guardian of his household, but a
sWeet-singing wooer, a tender spouse and
hard-working provider. In a different
way from the bluejay he is equally beauti-
1uI' with silky dove-colored plumage set
OFF with black.
Like Dense Foliage.
Retired swamps where foliage Is thick
are favorite places for the winter homes OF
birds, but the parks In our cities, with
their constant food supplies and various
shelters. are becoming popular also. One
may profftably study birds in Central Park.
New York. every month in the year. and
doubtless In many other city parks Tne
winter resident that makes himself most
OBVIOUS In our towns is the foreigner al
ready mentioned Unwelcome and disagree
able as he Is, We cannot deny that he IS
sharp-witted- He has the cleverness of a
street gamin who has always had to look
out Tor himself and fight his own way ana
10 look out for Number One" and provide
the comforts and luxuries of life Tor the
same individual. Is the business which he
sccohpilsnes without fail. We who do not
love this bird-knowing his ways too well
ARE sometimes reproached with hard hear,.
edness, but listen to what is said by one of
the tenderest of women who has known
him all her life-Mary Hewitt