The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17
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observation of birds. But this is
Iz1fENM not so; in fact, 1 should not care
- to spend a summer in this way.
Birds are not even my hobby. I am ac-
quainted with but comparatively few va
rieties. and often see new variety with
out being curious enough to look up its
name. Why should 1? do not inquire the
name of every person who happens to pass
my window.
/ must say. however. that from boyhood
up birds have appealed to me as class of
animals that has an excuse for being. both
from a unitarian and an aesthetic stand
point. and that we should even sacrifice
somewhat that they may be. For instance,
we should not begrudge them a few cher
ries or think we have done a philanthropic
act when we leave the spray going in our
back yard for their benefit on hot day,
or throw out a few crumbs to them.
The individual whose attitude Is right
toward God and man Will find these things
a source of exquisite pleasure Last sum, UNI
way, and / spent some delightful leisure
moments with the birds and observed some
things that l had read about for instance
in Keyser's "In Bird Land" and in Bur-
rough's fascinating little book on Birds
and Bees"
The following are some Clippings Iroin
my Journal:
July s, 19O3-Just now have taken shell
ter from the intense heat under a dense
grape arbor in my back yard. where l can
see what is going in a small apple tree
on which have turned the hose TO water
my blackberry vines. The thermometer
stands between 90 and 100 degrees in the
shade and / have noticed the birds with
spread wings. open mouths and painting
breasts days like this apparently over
come by the heat. So / am not surprised
at what is going on In my apple tree. Birds
OF many kinds are quietly coming and
going. They fly into the tree and futter
their wings in the spray in the act OF TAX
ing a bath. They seem like little children
turned loose by the brooksde. They are no
longer wild. but will allow me to come and
stand within five feet of the tree. III | were
q bird enthusiast and had kodak l could
get some fine snapshots. There are catbirds.
redbirds. blackbirds, gold finch. yellow
hammers and English sparrows in the tree
at the same time And there comes robin
redbreast. little Jennie Wren, Mr.. Red
headed Woodpecker and saucy Mr.. Bluejay
TO complete the list of common birds in
one little apple tree together. enjoying a
few minutes respite from the almost tor
rid sun of this July day. 1t Is delightful
both for them and for mel
July 10, 1901 am awakened every morn
He is delightful fellow. He sings early in
the morning. late in the afternoon and in
the evening. L have heard them as early as
4 in the morning and as late as in the
evening. Sometimes two be heard at
the same time located quite distance from
each other. They seem to answer each 9TH
er's whistle; one waits for the other to get
through before he begins. In this way there
rs kept up for thirty minutes at time a
continuous whistle. There is more variety
In the redbird's whistle than | had OBJ
served before. / cannot describe il, but
sometimes they seem TO just reserve their
notes, as. for instance. one strain will be
do me. do me. do me, do me-. and the next
me do. me do. me do. me do And L have
noticed when two birds are singing alter
nately. as 1 have stated above, will
often sing the notes in one order and the
other respond with the notes In the reverse
order Any one who listens TO the redbird
will soon see what mean
July Is, 1851 had an opportunity this
morning while hoeing in my garden to OBJ
ser,'e the combative nature of the catbird
was hoeing cucumber vines under a small
walnut tree when 1 was startled by a loud
cat-like NEW above me. / looked up and
there was one of those sleek. gray fellows
with Jet black legs perched with out
stretched wings. and in fit of intense ex-
element was chattering to i'm his cat
bird language as though he were disputng
my iicht W noe III my own garden.
Knocked him and he answered me the loud
err IL was only after several attempts with
clods OF dirt that | won my point by driv-
ing him from the tree / thought after
wards he perhaps had a nest in the brush
pile near by. and that was really intrud-
Ing on his private domain"
July To- lsOS-0ne day last week while nv
wife and were enjoying few leisure min
utes after midday lunch in double swing
on the front porch. we were startled by a
loud clatter of sound across the street We
looked In that direction and there on an old
telephone post was perched a young wood
pecker OF the red-head type, too young
however. To receive his crown: above him
was stationed the old bird engaged in the
net OF feeding the young one She would
dig into the old post with her long bill and
then chuck whatever she got into the wide
open. clamoring mouth of the noisy young
one. This stopped his noise for awhile but
no sooner was the morsel OF food swal-
lowed than he began again. We wondered