The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-20
HIMB 70 STUDY BIRDS now.
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N ne rafrr lsealltv n hot h ~ htsH't=al
stus, Ehesr they hestesi 4 Spsf sso
Furthermore. fns . Werk W t@n dtys 80
ths conditions vnl 10 iavnfshir Toe chs~fvs
ina birds, and this trrs,rss fnush ~ IN"
foiisgs gill Rot 10 fully mature. Nhtle The
tltte OIL - ho, oniy nuuHetous hut alao
nnts arilvs than ~ my nshsr I'm" ~ the
gear
Vir,aaiiy All The birds. sscepsias ~ courss
N. shofe bteds, thas neas w ihia arnerai lat
ithia eaN 10 fotnd and attEiled eRertively IN
the isrGr parks -CentFai rsfk, tho IRONS
parks and P~rostrct Fafh During two
hTl~f vista " prS-p~r, Pack rpsNa.ly tle
writer cpuntsd eighteen varieties ~ hirds.
NOS ~ them, evlIently. fresh arrivals
from IN" South Theses oompriaeh chip
Pima sfarrows, robins, purple Ftachlea
q hairy ~wooipecker, a downy ~woUipechsr,
nickers. sonG sparrows, gold nnches, white
thfOatsd sparro VS.. white crowned spar.
rows, fab rows. n harm swallow, Cow birda,
ruby crowncd hinElets. yellow r'inped
wsrblerp, a summer yellow bird, n cathifd
and a spotted sandpiper.
This % course Ia only tho nnguard,
but the great army n near at hand.
A pair 81 good opera glasses IL almost
Indispensable for bird study. No matter
how keen your eyes are. good lenses will
help ther. The glasses need not be eS-
traordinarily powerful, for most Of your
work will be done at short range, rarely
more than 100 feet, and this distance will
become shorter ss you learn how to APP
| preach birds without alarming them.
Your gla ssss should be focused correctly,
so that they reveal outlines clearly; and
the less Of. the prismatio oolors they show
tho better. II In well, too, to practise
handling YOU glasses, 90 that you can
bring them to bear instantly for most Of the
birds are moving almost constantly. Near
ly all Of the wa rbler m, for example, and they
include some Of the most beautiful and
Interesting Of the birds Of this region. are
nervous and hard working little fellows,
whose pauses are only momentary as they
scour the trees.
The difficulty Of studying these birds is
further increased by their diminutive size
and their preference for the treetops, or
at least the higher branches. For all OF
which reasons it behooves you to learn to
handle glasses quickly and accurately.
As to your manner Of approa Oh, remem-
Der, above all things, that quick motions, no
matter how slight they may seem to you,
are almost certain to alarm birds. Move
very deliberately, and conceal yourself as
much as possible. When you stop try to
do so beside a tree or a bush. Make yourself
look as much like a natural part OF the
landscape as possible.
Raise and lower your glasses slowly;
they should not ma We any bright metal parts
about them, by the way, and 1t il best. for
the same reason, to conceal any jewelry,
such as a watch chain, that will catch and
reflect the light. All birds IA We wonderful
! eyesight and anything that looks unusual
at once excites their suspicion. Even your
conversation with your companion should
be carried on in very low and even tones.
Many of the birds, provided they see or
near no cause for alarm, are likely to yield
to their curiosity as to who you are and
what you are about anyhow, II you stand
perfectly still beside a clump Of bushes
in which q catbird is lurking, and make
a faint lisping, s~queaking noise with your
lips, the chances are that this bird will
come within a few feet Of you, sometimes
within arms length, to peer at you aud
scrutinize you with q half defiant, half
impudent air that is very amusing.
The merry and busy little hite breasted,
black capped nuthatch Is another bird
whose curiosity will usually get the better
of his caution. The writer has seen them
come down the side Of a tree, head down
ward, and gaze straight into his face not
three feet away The white throated
sparrows, though naturally timid and
retiring and much inclined at first to keep
out of sight in the brush and underground
where they usually are to be found, soon
become accustomed to the presence Of a
human companion, provided he stays
motionless and quiet, and, perhaps, oc-
c~asionally their marvellously sweet
and plaintive whistled song.
A great deal has been said about certain
persons power over animals A very large
part of that power. it Is probable, consists
simply in doing nothing that will alarm or
anger the animal. backed, Of course. by
knowledge Of the animals natural oharac-
teristics. And as to the birds, they seem
only too glad to be friendly once they realize
that they nave no cause to be frightened.
You will need besides your opera glasses
q small volume describing the birds of your
locality, and this book should include @
color key, that is, a system OF describing
birds based upon their dominant oolors,
or some striking plumage peculiarly, such
as a speokled breast or a red head. There are
several such books, and some of them are
small enough to be carried in the pocket.
With the remarkable increase Of interest
in ornithology during the past few years
and a sympathetic growth In the number
Of books devoted to that subject, it is singu-
lar that the publishers have taken 30 little
account OF this matter Of pocket editions Of
bird books.
FamiBarize yourself with the general sys-
tenn upon which your color key Is formu-
lated and proceed with your observations
carefully and Intellectually. Once you
have caught the bird fairly with your lenses,
concentrate your attention on the color
scheme of its plunage. that Is, what tho
prevailing oolors are and how they are ar
ranged with reference to one another, and
with respect to the various parts Of the
body.
II, for example, you note that your bird
has a yellow body, black wings,a black tail