Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-17
A TREE BELOVED BY BIRDS

We have often heard the question,
What tree Is selected as a nesting Site
by the greatest number of different Kinds
of BIRDS" Without attempting to give II
positive answer to this question. should
say there are not many more popular
nesting than the applc-trec. Know
that some Of the evcrgrccns are used by
many species possibly by more than
make their homes in the orchard-but IT
we have II few large old applo-trees on
the premises it is not impossible thlt
we may be able to study, close at hand,
The nesting habits OF twenty different
birds.
Tho first time found bluebrds nest,
it WAS in Il hole in an apple-tree, ana. as
| wished to see the eggs, | thrust in my
hand, tn find a house sparrow hanging
to ono finger, After that, ] was not 80
quick to jump at conclusions or To put
my bare hands into holes III trees. Both
bluebirds and house -sparrows are
amongst the commonest residents "l holes
in npplc-tIocs, and the latter BIRDS also
build large nests in the branches some
times In the larger holes | not iuire-
qu"ntlN find a scrcech OWL broodiug her
roundisl white eggs ON a handful OF
feathers Doubtless plucked from the h""les
OF her victims. How she will bite ana
scratch when We attempt to examine
her treasures. Flckers, too. VIII "ller
make their n SITS i'll such hollpWs, Usually
widening aud shaping them llrNt but
more oftcn, perhaps, they VIII make =
fresh Eolc III som" dccaNed brtnch. !
have seen 4 pair of hio kers nesting II an
apple tree. in a natural cavity, the mouth
OF which was less than four feet from
the grouul. tut the eggs were not hdt4h-
ed. 70" the tree grew clos" to Tn. road
and the nest was robbed by ole Of the
mauy people who saw the birds soinr
in and ont. Branches TOO small for
ilCNcr'S nest are sometimes uS'd ny
t0Wny woodpcckers.
Robins seem to u,-t in every orchaid
and twlc" at least have seen the hou''
of wood thrush III an apple-tr"" II
ore instance the trcc grew close to
| house, the occupants OF which, passing
in ana out, could plainly sec the parent
bir,! as she sat ON her eggs
pt tn" hanging nests, perhaps the one
most frequently found in Hppl"-trocS i,
that OF the orchard oriolc but occasion
ely We may ind also those of the iialti
NOR orilo. yellow -throatcd vireo, IN.
| whito-eyod Virco. The yellow throate'
vireo is one of the most charming of oul
| bird ncighborS, cling one of the tanrs
| and gentlost Several instances are re
| corded OF birds which have allowed them
| selves to be StrOk.d on the nest. one
know OF which would come down on it,
| landlords hand for food. and | have my
| self had the pleasure OF lifting Il yello5
! throoth"d vireo from her nest, and o
| seeing her nestle down on her eggs aga III
when l put her back. My experience viii
q Whitc-cNcl VircO, whose nest | once
! found in an apple tree. was very different
! The little home had been visited by a cow
bird. whose large notified egg had beer
! Deposited with the four much SMALL"
ones of the NircO. II | remember right
! the birds were away, hut wh,n | called
few days later. the little mother vlrc'
WIS very much in evidence. None of h.
own cSgs was Matched, but tho No'ui'
coWbiru WIS ON deck aud from b."
actions it s"om"d a though she Wa
atrrid / w1s going to steal him. "NirI 90
| would have been a better name for nrr
! as she flow into a bush quite close to me
ami, looking me right in the taoo 'tl
| h'r strHng" white eyes. poured FORT
a torrent of abuse. Icop" are often AN
cry win you if YOU happen to disCoNc
that thcV have done some foolish thing
and had | not discovered that she ha,
hatch"d a COW brds Css2 But krcy
| that ticrc vas trouble brewing for her
SO ! went away, and did not return lO
! 4 week. When | did come back. tn
voting cowbrd not ony filled the nest lu
hung over on all sides Beneath Inn
found one POOR little starved Vireo; it
brethren had probably been pushed on
of the nest W the usurpcr. BVt the f">t-
mother. f"r from admitting her mistak
proceeded to abuse me worse than ever
50 | left her To her problems
Other small birds which sometime
claim the applc-trce as home, are t.
chipping sparrow. house wren, Yello,
wat bier. least fvcatchor and ruby throat
ed hummng bird. Near the top. on tn
outer hrarcbes. the kingbird often build
his nest. and lower down We may tint
toward the end of June. the homes c
! those lato builders the sodhn"h an
| cedar iVaN-winp.
on ono occasion, was entering a Yer
old orchard, when | heard a loud whist
ing of wings, and looking up, | saw
pair Of mourning doves, flying straigi
RON n large applotrcc, and on goin
lp I found their partly built nest in
wide crOtch within a few feet of tn
ground. lut a moro unusual nest to III.
, in an nppln-troe was one | found ON n
Connecticut coast. few years agO
was visiting n colony of "rccn heron
in a clamp OF cedars. Among the eyer
green there was a large appl"-troe, an
, on the top of ii thHrc lay the nest an
eggs If "a green heron.
Doubtless there are other birds Whic
, more on less frequently build their nos
III applet trees. but those | have mcr
toned arc al which have come undo
my personal observation.
ERNEST HAROLD BAINES.