Newark post., 1913-12-17
The Birds
In Winter

Although many VI Jul llooI
beautiful birds leave with the ap-
proach of cold weather there are
enough left to gladden. the eye and
ear Of those who love our "little
tilted twenty different kinds, some
regular visitors, some shy and oc-
casional. in search Of food placed |
for them in trees. bushes or feeding
places on the ground. We do not |.
have the oriole S flashing colors and |
jubilant notes but the Kentucky |.
cardinal glOws against the snow
and announces his desire for meal +.
by sharp quick note. He has
three quite distinctive calls apart
from the beautiful song he sings in
mating and nesting time. The Can
sdian wren, which comes down
here III winter and returns north at
the approach Of spring, has a roll
licking bubbly song that reminds
one little of the English Robin
Red Breast. This wren has rusty
red breast and is larger than our
common house wren. 1t returns
year after year to the same place.
One Of the most sociable of our
little friends is the tufted titmouse.
After cold weather sets in he
haunts the habitation Of man and
one can not go out without hearing
his song or catching a glimpse Of
his bluish-gray coat. One winter
one of these little birds became
very friendly. He soon learned the
call [ gave when placing food in
selected spot and was generally the
first to partake. Frequently he
was waiting on a japanese ounce
bush nearby and answered my at
tempts at conversation in an ami
able manner, coming within arm s /.
length with every appearance Of
confidence in my Intentions He !.
would look so sleek and demure at |
times, then suddenly by an eleva-
tion Of his crest, firt of his wings
that showed the reddish color un-
derneath, and twitch Of his tail,
take on bewitching jauntiness.
The song Of these birds is a surpris-
ingly strong one and sometimes so
persistent as to become monoton-
Gus; it is in seven syllables, rapidly
repeated several times, like "wheet-
o, wheet-o, wheet-o, wheet' An
other call he gives has been trans
lated by one writer as "Here, here,
here" but more often it sounds
like joyous little laugh of "chee,
chee, chee.' He looks something
like diminutive blue jay in shape
but the comparison ends there for
his coloring is more sombre and his
disposition far better.
When the Jay Bird comes to our
winter feeding ground he an
nounces his presence with his char
acteristic note, takes his position in
the top Of a small maple tree and
leisureiy surveys the ground. | .
have seen a dozen little birds that
were feeding, Immediately disap-
pear as If in answer to an impera-
tive summons when he appeared
upon the scene. When the jay is
good and ready" he flies down
without eVincing any unseemly
haste, takes grain Of corn and re- .
turns to his post Of observation He .
repeats this until he is satisfied,
then in the same leisureIy fashion
makes his way from tree to tree
back to the woods Not until he is
out Of sight and sound do the small .
birds resume their meal.
Alturism has no place in the .
birds winter code of ethics, al
though there is very little down
right quarrelling among them.
Sometimes a red-bird, who is a
model OF domestic virtue in sum-
mer, will turn fiercely on his wife
or daughter for Interfering with
his choice piece of corn, or a song
sparrow will drive an English spar
row from a coveted tid-bit The
sOng-sparrow has a trick of scratch
ing with it's feet like miniature
hen, and often visiting the feeding
grounds after light snow has
fallen, procures good meal. Most
of the small birds feed together
very peacably if not sociably.
We scatter on the ground table
scraps run thru meat chopper,
and some whole corn for the larger
birds is placed near this. Pieces Of
suet, or fat pork rind are tied on
the trees well out Of the reach Of
Tlac., Ann, icI, E,aa lonln,,