Ellsworth American., 1910-12-14

ptOsrctsoh VI many kYr<Ies of osxoe - " ~
greatest Importance.
HOW TO ATTRACT wrNTxR nrnps ABOUT
oUn HOMES.
fBy Edward Howe Forbash, warehan, Nsss-,
Reprinted from Bird Lcrs.l
Twenty-nins years sgo ! hrst ba9au
feeding the winter birds. In those days
no observing boy who roamed The woods
In winter could help seeing that crowa
Jays and chickadses came, at regular In
tervals, to feed upon the skinned bodies Of
foxes and other animals left hanging IN
the trees by hunters and trappers. So, In
the winter OF ls70-77, provided goodly
feast for the birds within sight Of ny
window.
People have complained 10 me that the
birds would NOT come to tho food pro-
vided for them; but when this IL The cass
the fault d usually their own, - they
have mot gone about feeding the birds In
the right way. There 10 no obstacle to tbs
plan OF assembling native birds u feed
ing places In the city or country, II ws
except the sparrow and the css, both Of
which must b eliminated 10 insure
signal success. II you wish to sttfHct
birds about the house this winter, do not
wait until the ground IL deelpy covered
with snow, but begin now.
Scatter little hayssed from the barn OF
stable door on the bare grouno about tbs
yard. Millet or any bird-seed will DO -
well. Hang some small pieces Of sust or
beef trimmings on the branches Of tbs
trees beyond the reach Of dogs and cate.
II, ct nrst, these pieces are somewhat
widely scattered at points radiatine from
the house at csutsr. your success should
Be assured. Your lures will keep best u
this season II tied on The shady sids Of
tres trunk; but iu winter they should b
put on the sunay side. They should b
well bound 70 limbs with t~ins or
covered with cellar wire netting 20 that
neither jays NOE crows can carry them
o6 bodily.
The birds may not fnd the food At oscs.
but usually they will npd Il sooner OF
later. when the chickadses have dis-
covered 1t we are ready for the next move.
Fresh meat or suet 10 nov put up on the
trees ncar~st the Aouse, to accustom the
birds % coming there. Gradually ths
more distant feeding stations are. Givsn
mp and all tbe fresh meat 10 put our near
the houss.
A block having slot cut In il 70 receive
the butt OF limb 10 next nailed up on .
window -sill. A branch which will spread
over most Of tbs window u then thrust In
the slot, 20 that IL stAnda up In front Of
the window like little tree. Suet 10 the
best food to be used here, a. elsewhere,
for, while II provides the birds with much
Of the beat and energy they need, they
are still obliged to hun, constantly for
insect food to secure their daily allowance
Of protein or muscle forming material.
In this quest they clear the alternating
insects and insccts' eggs from our trees
and shrubbery. Small pieces Of sues are
wound on the limb or is t~igs 20 that NO
one piece il within foot Of any other.
II this direction u observed there will be
little quarrsling, and several birds may
often Be seen feeding at once at the same
window.
The ehickadees soon discover this new
source OF food supply, and they become
- tame - to eome and feed even when
souae one alta n the window. Next come
ths nutbatchss and perhspa, little later,
the woodpeckers appear. With the frst
snow-storm, even the wary bloc NV may
venture to the window. BY this time the
seeds scattered about the ysrd have