Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-04-12
ARROYO FILLED
WITH BIRD LIFE
MYRIADS OF SWEET SINGERS
ARE ACTIVE
LOVERS OF FEATHERED oRcHEs-
IRA GIVEN TREAT
Audubon Society Gains Followers
Every Month-Woman Has Plain
to Protect Pets from Raven
GUS Cats

/" HE bird editor of The Herald is
happy this morning in being
Il authorized to make formal an
nouncement of series of exclusive
social affairs that are being arranged.
in fact are even now in progress, and
which will continue throughout the
month of April in the Arroyo Seco.
Dear Mother Nature, who is the hos
tess, is beautiful In her new robe of
green velvet studded with gems, ana
is wearing a priceless crown or Wlid
flowers. No invitations have been Is
sued for the occasion. which Is a wei
come home'' to the birds who are sum-
mer residents and who have been in
the south for several months. but any
guest will be admitted whose step Is
quiet. whose voice is low and whose
heart is "as that of little child"
There is in attendance a marvellous
bird orchestra and each afternoon the
breeze plays wonderful symphonies on
harps of branch and twig. Mathis and
vespers are said each day, but only
intimate friends are asked at these
hours.
And the company is the choicest in
the world. Here are shy brown crea-
lures who gaze at one in startled
fashion and then steal swiftly away;
a world of insect life clings close to
the warm brown earth; hundreds OIL
feathered songsters trill and call from
vine and twig, while the cause OF
changing shadow effects may be traced
to drifting cumulus masses In the piue
above.
In the Beautiful Arroyo
And as for wealth, there can be seen
at no mortal gathering such lavish dis
.oIa nf eli ipyVniS those worn
by the dancing Arroyo Seco itself, or
such cloth Of gold and cobweb tissue as
the fabric worn by the sunbeams
While above and below and around
rests silence that is audible and al
most tangible to those who know ana
love the field and wood.
Among the fortunate mortals ENJOY
ing especial privilege In this domain
are the members of the Audubon So
ciety of GarvanZa, who won the hardly
given confidence of the Genizens OF the
woods several years ago. OF this So
cietx Mrs. Harriet Williams Myers Is
president, and her interest in her
feathered neighbors Is so great that she
has purchased a bird camera and fur
theirs her acquaintance by its aid. Her
investigations are largely confined TO
those birds that frequent yards, ORCH
ards and the arroyo; whose song Is
lunch counter by the mulberry trees in
her yard on North Avenue sc for all
birds who care to call, a dish of sweet
ened water stands near and on the lawn
a porcelain bath tub is always full ana
ready for bird ablutions, which on a
sunny morning are in progress Tor
hours.
Love for these little creatures is an
inheritance from several generations or
f0
watchful patience which is so large an
element of her success, and dozens OF
beautiful photographs are the reward
for hours of watching and waiting for
the psychic moment when the small
body shall be poised just in focus. Or
phaned baby birds are rescued and
cared for, and one of the tragedies or
the bird world last summer was the
fate of q baby grosbeak that had
thriyed for several months under her
tender care and finally came to an UNI
timely end in an open water box at the
beach, where he journeyed with the
family for the summer outing.
Would License Cats
Mrs. Myers has discovered a method
whereby the bird nuisance to farmers
of small fruits may be abated. Here
is her suggestion: Plant wild fruit
hearing shrubs around the outer edge
of the ranch and the birds will never
disturb the cultivated fruit, as they
not only prefer the natural output but
like it green. She has in her own gar
den both mulberry and elderberry
trees. and because the birds are SO
eager for the green fruit she has never
yet seen ripe berry on any of the
trees.
Someone who is interested in birds
has computed their annual slaughter
nv cats at the rate of fifty birds to
each feline every season. AS a remedy
for this is suggested licensing the house
cat and the disposal of all not bearing
the official tag in the same manner
dogs are now dealt with.
Among the bird pictures shown here
are a hooking bird, which was enticed
to the bird table by Mrs. Myers, and
also a baby mocker which fell from
the nest before it could fly and was
coaxed to pose on a friendly geranium
leaf for it's portrait. A young grosbeak,
only three weeks old, makes an inter-
esting study. as does also a little chap
which was handicapped at birth by the
name of Audubon Warbler. The hum
mer on the nest speaks for himself.
For several .-ears Mrs. Myers has
been active in arousing public senti-
ment throughout the southern part of
well as the aesthetic value of our
songsters. Through her efforts as
chairman of the bird committee of the
outdoor Art section of the Civic
league much has been accomplished,
and 1t is largely her influence that has
established "bird day. as part of the
regular routine of some of the women's
clubs. At the council of presidents
with which the annual meeting of the
Los Angeles district federation opened
in N-onrovia last fall, resolution was
nassed asking each club to make "bird
day. regular event. At this time also
a unanimous resolution was adopted
bv the members of the federation
against the wearing of aigrettes. Both
the state and the district declarations
are conducting bird work at present
under the direction of the forestry
committee, and the chief value of this
department in the civic sections of the
clubs would be that the member or
members of said committee would be
posted i'm regard to protective legisla-
ton for birds, and when violations are