The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-04-07
THE BIRDS
RESULTS OF THE EFFORTS TO
SAVE THE SoNGSTERS.
They Were More Successful Than Was
Generally Expected-Many Peo-
pie Have Become interested in
the Movement.

oSASkoAAy A0fSSs>N >~J
pie Have Become interested in
the Movement.
/ When, a short time ago, the work OF
saving tho starving birds was begun
by distributing food in the gardens.
fields and woods. many people were
very skeptical as to results. l heard
honest doubts expressed concerning
the probability of the wild birds ap-
preaching very close to food which lay
in the fields, on the bare spaces cleared
with the snow shovels. 1t was sug-
gested that these spaces would look
SO unnatural that most birds would be
suspicious and would keep away on
general principles. The results have
| shown that in future no one need al
low such doubts to deter them from
handling snow shovel in this good
cause; whatever suspicious the birds
may have had, they evidently laid
them aside very promptly, and took
care that whatever other evils might
befall, death by starvation should be
avoided.
In my own town, Stoneha[ MfSass..
40 men and boys, mostly H,dentes OF
the high school. in one morning estab-
lished about so feeding stations for
the birds over an area of about ten
square miles, and in many cases there
were immediate results. The leader
of one squad reported that at one point.
even as the grain was being scattered
on the uncovered ground. flock OF 20
quail approached within six feet of the
relief party, and moved away only be-
cause a newspaper representative who
was present tried to get too close snap
shot of them. This flock of quail re-
turned to the spot the next day, and with
hem two ruffied grouse. and as they were
unmolested, it is not to be doubted that
they will visit this feeding station az
often as they find themselves in need OF
food
Personally, I was present at the es-
tablishment of eight feeding stations.
and when l inspected these the next
day l found that every one Of them had
been visited by birds. Judging by the
foot prints in and about the cleared
spaces, two had been patronized by
crows only, but small birds were feed
ing or had been feeding at all the
others. At one place two blue jays
were enjoying themselves, hopping
about and filing their threats and bills
| with cracked corn, afterwards flying on
| with their cargoes. At another point
l saw q mixed flock Of 20 juncos and tree
sparrows; at another flock Of ten tree
| sparrows with house sparrow among
them, and at still another there was =
| flock of 80 snow buntings. At one place
where suet had been tied to the branches
| and trunk of = tree, there was q
flock of eight chicadees. all busy
| eating or carryfhs a--~v ssAsso 1u.ar- -
store in the bark Of other trees. and not
| far on. on the side of q road, red.
breasted nuthatch was hammering Wig
| orously at q piece of frozen fat which
he had discovered nailed to branch.
Reports from other members Of the
relief party showed that of the 20 feed
ing stations inspected within As hours
after their establishment, there. were
only two which did not show signs of
having been visited by birds. One Of the
two cannot properly be counted. as 1t
consisted of quantity Of suet which. to
all appearances, had been carried on by
a red squirrel. Many birds were seen In
the act of feeding, tree sparrows, juncos,
| chickadees, house sparrows and snow
buntings having been observed in the
greatest numbers. $50 = y
That this movement has been spread
ing from the start, and that 1t is still
spreading rapidly, is due very largely
to the efforts of the presA Editors all
over the country. realizing that an ef-
fort to save the wild birds IVES OK ma
tional importance, have given. and are
still giving, to the subject an amount
of space out Of AL proportion to its
actual news value. Marked copies Of
papers are coming In from everywhere
I showing that not only have articles
and editorials been written concerning
the best way to relieve the birds, but
that these articles and editorials have
been copied and recopied by the pa
pers which were unable to get the
facts at first hand. That this good
work of the press in bearing the fruit
it deserves, is evidenced by the num-
beers of letters which reach Us here
from people who have read Of the work
done in other places. and who are now
doing all they can in their owe part OF
the country. And their efforts are. In
many cases, being directly rewarded
by a closer friendship with the birds
themselves. One lady writes that her
chickadees have become 30 tame thai
they alight upon her hand to be fed
and . man reports that flock Of SNOW
buntings which feed on hay-seed scat
tered for them on the lawn, actual,
ny toward him when they see hin
coming.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNEs.
Took . NeiGhborly Interest.
. "Her voice was tried by famous sing
| ing master"
l