The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 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.
When, a short time ago, the work Of
saving the 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-
proact ing 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.
Tn
40 men and boys, mostly students 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 as
often as they find themselves in need O.!
food
Personally, was present at the es-
tablishment of eight feeding stations,
and when l inspected these the next
day 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
we're enjoying themselves, hopping
about and filling their throats and bills
with cracked corn, afterwards flying off
with their cargOes. At another point
l saw 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 a
flock of 80 snow buntings. At one place
where suet had been tied to the branches
and trunk of a. tree, there was a
flock of eight chicadees, all busy
eating or carrying away little Jumps to
store in the bark of other trees, and not
far off, on the side of road, red
breasted nuthatch was hammering Wig
orously 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 20 feed
ing stations inspected within 4S 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 il
consisted of quantity of suet which, to
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.
That this movement has been spread
ing from the start. and that it is still
spreading rapidly. is due very largely
| to the efforts of the press. Editors all
over the country, realizing that an eff.
| fort to save the wild birds was of ma.
tional importance, have given, and are
still giving, to the subject an amount
of space out of all proportion to its
actual news value. Marked copies o1
papers are coming in from everywhere
showing that not only have articles
and editorials been written concerning
| the best way to relieve the birds. bu
| that these articles and editorials have
been copied and recopied by the pa
pers which were unable to get tn,
| facts at first hand. That this goot
work of the press is bearing the frui
it deserves, is evidenced by the mum
bers of letters which reach us here
from people who have read of the worl
done in other places, and who are nov
doing all they can in their own part o.
the country. And their efforts are, IL
many cases, being directly rewarded
by a closer friendship with the bird.
themselves. One lady writes that "her'
| chickadees have become SO tame tina
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,
hy toward him when they see hin