Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-13
.
FEEDING THE BIRDS
A Recent Effort to Save the
Wild Ones.
F EEDING STATION
GUESTS NEVER FAIL TO APPEAR
ON TIME.
Feathered Songsters Who Become Quite
Tame and Approach
able.
FEEDING STATION s

When, short time ago, the work of saw
ing the starving birds was begun by dis
tributing food in the gardens fied DIS and
woods, many people were very sceptical as
to results. 1 heard honest doubts expressed
concerning the probability of the wild birds
approaching very close to food which lay
in the fields the bare spaces cleared
with the snow shovels. 1t was suggested
that the 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 allow such doubts to deter them
from handling a 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--Stoneham, Mass.-forty
men and boys mostly students of the high
school. In one morning established about
fifty feeding stations for the birds. over an
area of about ten square mites. ana 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, a flock of twenty
quail approached within six feet of the relief
party, and moved away only because a
newspaper representative who was present
tried to get too close a snap shot Of them.
This flock of quail returned to the spot the
next day, and with them two ruffed grouse,
and, as they were unmolested, it Is not to
be doubted that they will visit this feeding
station as often as they are in need of food.
Interesting Sight.
Personally, 1 was present at the estab-
lishment of eight feeding stations. and
when 1 inspected these the next day 1
found that every one Of them had been WIS.,
tied by birds. Judging by the footprints in
and about the cleared spaces, two had been
patronized by crows only, but small birds
were feeding or had been feeding at all the
others. At one place two blue jays were
enjoying themselves. hopping about and
filling their throats and bills with cracked
corn, afterward flying off with their car
goes At another point l saw mixed
flock of twenty juncos and tree sparrows;
at another, a flock of ten tree sparrows,
with house sparrow among them, ana at
still another there was a flock of thirty
snow buntfngs. At one place where suet
had been tied to the branches and trunk OF
a tree there was flock Of eight chickadees.
all busy eating or carrying away little
Jumps to store in the bark of other trees.
and not far Off. on the side of a road, red
breasted nuthatch was hammering vigor-
ously at piece of frozen fat which he had
discovered nailed to a branch. Reports
from other members of the relief party
showed that of the twenty feeding sta lions
inspected within forty-eight hours after
their establishment, there were only two
which did not show any signs OF having
been visited by birds. One of the two can
not properly be counted, as 1t consisted OF
a quantity of suet which, to all appear
ances, had been carried off by a red squir
rel. Many birds were seen in the act of
feeding, tree sparrows. juncos, chtckadees,
house sparrows and snow buntings having
been observed in great numbers.
Editors Are Helping.
That this movement has been spreading
from the start, and that 1t Is still spread
ing rapidly, is due very largely to the eff
forts of the press. Editors all over the
country realizing that an effort to save
the wild birds was of national Importance,
have given, and are still giving, to the sub
ject an amount of space out of all proper
ton to it's actual news value. Marked cop
les of papers are coming in from every
where 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 papers which were unable
to get the facts at first hand.
That this good work of the press is bear
Ing the fruit it deserves Is evidenced by the
numbers 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 own 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 so tame
that they 'alight upon her hand to be fed.
and man reports that a flock of snow
buntfngs which feed on hay seed scattered
for them on the lawn, actually fly toward
him when they see him coming.
Tame Chickadees.
We have here a d-breasted nuthatch
which allows US to put our fingers upon his
back while he Is feeding, and our experience
with chickadees has been so remarkable
that almost hesitate to tell of it. There
has not been day. since January 8. that
the members of our household have not had
chickadees upon their hand, shoulders and
faces as often as they cared to, and they
cared to very often. These tiny birds have
lost all fear Of us, and come to meet
half mile from the house. Only last Sat
urday. a friend who was walking with me
in the country and who knew nothing
about our birds, was greatly astonished to
see chickadee come down at whistle,
alight upon my hand. and sit for five min
utes eating piece of walnut which I had
between my thumb and finger.
A,