The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-12-19
THE BIRDS CHRISTMAS TREE.
Practical Points About Attracting
Birds.

about their homes fail in their efforts.
not because their methods are wrong,
but because they lack that practical
knowledge of small details that often
makes the difference between success
and failure in this as well as in many
Of the larger undertakings of life. 1t
is the object of these articles, in a
measure, to supply these details
1t should be understood at the outset
that such foods as we may be able 10
offer birds will be used by them main
ly as makeshift at times when their
natural food supply is short. and for
this reason when we begin feeding,
the supply must be constant during
the winter months or We shall fail to
accomplish our object The birds may
desert our artificial feeding places dur
ing fine weather; but If the supply is
kept up and in the right way they will
surely find it in inclement weather,
when they most need IT,
The objection SO often urged that in
feeding the birds we shall pauperize
them should have no weight, as in
sect-eating birds always prefer their
natural food to anything that we may
be able to supply them; but by feed
ing birds in winter We may save their
lives at times when snow and ice
have covered their natural food sup
ply.
No one living in the country dis
tricts is so poor that he cannot feed
the birds, for, if nothing else offers,
chan, hayseed meat trimmings and
scraps will answer every purpose. Ii
the trimmings are all utilized in the
home il is a poor butcher who will not
give the children a few scraps or
bones now and then to feed the birds
There is food enough wasted in this
country every year to save from star
walton ten times as many birds as
winter with us.
1t is one of the joys OF winter in the
country TO watch the birds about the
farmhouse; but unless they are at
tracted there by feeding in the right
way they will not come Feeding
should begin in October or November
so that migratory birds. may make the
place their winter home Hayseed and
chalf may be scattered about the yard
on the sheltered sunny side of the
buildings or under an open shed fac
ing the south.
Scratching sheds for poultry make
excellent feeding places for the birds,
for they will always find there some
weed seeds or fine particles OF grain
that the hens have missed Bits Of
suet, bones broken to expose the mar
row, or fat pork may be used to at
tract woodpeekers, nuthatches and
chickadees. These may be tied to the
branches of the orchard or shade trees
about the house, and If the fat or suet
is likely to be carried off by cats, dogs,
crows, squirrels or jays, it may be
wound about with. twine or covered
with cellar wire netting so that the
birds can peck it out piecemeal and
nothing can carry it away bodily. The
birds finding these titbits in their eX-
cursions about the neghborhood will
begin 10 nip at them occasionally.
meanwhile feeding mainly on hiberna-
ting insect pests.
But We shall hardly accomplish all
We set out to do unless we can find
SOM way to attract the birds to our
very windows where We can watch
their cunning ways To do this We
must gradually draw in our feeding
stations until these feathered neigh
bors gather around the house. There
by right methods we may soon teach
them to come wherever we want
them A feeding shelf. about 4
feet may be put upon a post in the
yard out of the reach of cats. a little
evergreen tree may be erected upon
it, hayseed may be scattered upon the
shelf, and suet, doughnuts, nuts, etc
may be tied upon the tree until all the
birds have learned to come to II, when
the other feeding places may be grad
ually discontinued and this one made
permanent. II is even better to have
the shelf put up at a window sill on
the sunny side of the house where it
may be reached by merely opening
the window. Then 1t Is easy to put
out food brush away the SNOW and
keep the food always ready for the
birds If, as is sometimes the case.
the birds do not quickly find the tree,
or fear to come so close to the house,
feeding place may be established on
top of large box near tree on
which the birds have become accus-
toned to feed, and when the birds
have found the new supply, it may be
moved nearer the window day by day
and finally replaced by the wind
ow shelf. Under kind and careful
treatment the birds will soon become
so tame that one may sit by the wind
ow and watch them as they feed, and
on cold snowy winter mornings quite a
a