Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-02-18
A WINTER WITH THE BIRDS.
BY Kari krayon.

matter how cold 1t is. Some sleep
upon twig with head bent down. and
appear as II they were frozen stin,
but at the first note of alarm they
are alert and on the wing. Others
crawl into snowbanks, and there find
an excellent place in which to nap.
The winter of 1S9- spent with my
uncle in eastern Tennessee During
the latter part of October and the
first part OF November small focks
of birds were TO be seen going south.
Sometimes a flock would stay with
us day or two, then push southward.
AS the cold weather drew on the birds
became scarce, and we knew the win.
ter would be very severe.
On the advent of December the first
snow fell. covering the ground 10 the
depth of three or four inches. The
next morning we had a storm of hail
and sleet, covering everything with
mantle of Ice. Looking from the
window of my room, saw downy
| woodpecker hopping up and down the
trunk of an old tree examining every
knothole and crevice for insects or
| insect eggs. | knew he had poor
| chance to find much subsistence on
such an icy morning. so procured
a few steak cuttings and tied them TO
twigs near by. At first the "downy"
| did not like the situation, but soon he
yentured near enough to take peck
at the suet. When he got his first
taste, he seemed to be pleased With
the meat, and continued eating until
he had a sufilciency, then retired into
a nearby cedar, where | heard him
gently tapping upon the frozen bark.
Next on the scene was jay. May
be he heard the tapping of the
down" and came 10 find out what
made him SO lively on such ar inclem-
ent morning, or perhaps he spled the
dangling bits Of meat and had come
to investigate; but anyhow, there he
was. and It was not long before he
found out that those bits of suet hang
Ing from the old elm limb were ed
ible, and he did full justice to the
meal. This suet is fine thing to
feed the birds on, for 1t gives forth
heat which is very needful: indeed,
without this amount of warmth our
little feathered friends would surely
perish with the cold.
Sparrows got the word that some.
thing good to eat could be found
In the elm. and in they came by twos
and threes to partake of this free
lunch.
The next morning, when arose and
looked out, saw small bevy OF
birds In the old elm waiting the ar
rival Of their morning meal With
them ! noticed three or four chlcka-
dees, waiting also to see II there was
anything coming to them; and when
! set apart large piece of suet, they
seemed to be perfectly satisfied, and
showed their appreciation of my kind
ness by chirping "deedee-dee,' a
song the chickadee rarely utters in
winter.
A week later flock OF six red-head-
ed woodpeckers had Joined the ranks
and were enjoying the daily meal.
They looked beautiful while fitting
about In the elm, displaying their tri
colored uniforms to the best possible
advantage. Often | would watch them
hover over a fence. looking for some
insect that might be abroad, daring
winters icy breath, then dart up into
the top of tall cedar and sound
tattoo upon rotton branch.
Sometimes would cut an apple into
bits and toss 1t out upon the snow.
One woodpecker-I could tell him
from the rest by his being minus one
eye-would pick up his bit OF apple
and fly with 1t to an abandoned owls
hole which he occupied, and deVour
ii at leasure. Whenever | ventured
near his tree, during the day. he would
mop up " tit opSiiiH anu oUN bii
me with his one eye, rap excitediy
on the side of the tree, and then dis
appear to finish his nap. The wood
peckers were very gay and frolick-
some, and frequently would observe
them pursuing each other among the
high branches of a dead tree.
| had planned to give my featheTed
friends a regular banquet OH Christ
mas morning; and when | went out
with numerous pans and baskets con
tanning dainties for the birds, was
surprised to see crow seated among
the expectant throng. Perhaps he had
been the pet Of a little child and had
wandered away and got lost or may
be he had been hurt in some man
ner, and his flight south thereby much
delayed. However, there he was with
the other birds; and when they flew
down to the ground at my feet, he
seemed a little bashful. but soon
alighted near the edge Of the group,