Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-18

HNHE study OF wild birds Is probably at no
L time more fascinating than in mdwinter.
They are fewer both in species and individuals
than at other seasons so that the adding OF
another kind to our list gives us much greater
satisfaction than when birds are singing in
every thicket in spring ?nd summer
Birds, however, are by no means so scarce
In winter as the casual observer would sup
pose. The records show that in circle of 10
mile radius about Philadelphia no fewer than
55 species regularly spend the winter; while
one year or another 65 additional kinds have
been seen within this area. Some of these are,
of course, rare or local and as it is impossible
to cover all parts of this circle in a single
day, not nearly all of the species present
within its limits can be observed on days
tramp.
Bird Walks
1t has become quite fad among amateur
ornithologists to take bird walk on Christ
mas Day in order to ascertain what birds may
be seen, and the average number recorded
on such occasions during the last 10 years
in this vicinity Is about 25 although on the
New Jersey side Of the Delaware, where win
ter birds find more congenial shelter, sew
eral competent observers working together
were able to record Al and AZ species, respect
lively, on Christmas, 1912 and 1913
The crow is probably the most generally
distributed winter bird, and may be seen in
the evening in all sorts of weather, winging
its way in long lines to its roosting places
near Salem, N. j.. at King of Prussia and
near Doylestown. The gulls. the most con-
spicuous feature of winter bird life on the
river, are the herring gulls.
Along the river meadows. as we'll in
swamps and meadows inland, there are.
of the sparrow tribe, several species being
frequently mixed together. Conspicuous
among these are the slate-gray snowbird, with
thin white breasts and conspicuous white tail
feathers. the speckled- breasted song sparrows
and the rusty-capped tree sparrows, with the
single dark spot on the middle of tho breast
Small flocks of goldfinches are not uncom-
mon, now in an olive brown livery, but still
characterized by the black wings, undulating
flight and canary-like call.
In the thickets or edge of the woods we are
likely to find hpcks OF white-throated spar
rows, the Peabody birds" OF tho northI big
plump fellows with a white throat and white
crown stripe.
Tea-kettleI Tea-kettleI Tea-kettlel
Under the overhanging bank of stream, a
diminutive winter wren will be playing hide
and seek with you, lodging in and out among
tho roots or from thiclSet; his larger rusty
coated cousin. the Carolina wren. will break
the silence with his loud "Tea-kettle, tea-ket-
tie, tea-kettlel"
In the tree tops wandering band of little
birds pass along securing trunk, limbs and
twigs for concealed eoeoons or alternating
insects.
The speekled, black and white. downy
woodpecler hammers the dead branches
while the brown creeper! mottled like the
bark over which he climbs, is mounting, spir-
ally. up the main trunk, creeping like a
mouse. Meeting him midway We may see a
whits-breasted nuthatch. with slate-blus
back ana black cap, who prefers to alight high
up on'ths trunk and come down stub-tail in
air and head toward the earth.
Out on the slender twigs are the ehickadee.
tufted titmouse and golden crowned knight
"A characteristic winter party.
Tyrian Purple
The alder thickets along tho tidewater
creeks especially on the New Jersey side OF
the Delaware. hRrbor here and there a pair
OF cardinals, the brilliant red plumage OF the
male seeming strangely out Of place amidst
winter surroundings Of bare branches and
patches OF Ice and snow. Wilder woodlands
may shelter few noisy blue jays, ever alert
and screaming their disapprovaI at the APP
proaeh OF any intruder. A fock of purple
hnehes may be come upon. perhaps. picking
apart the cone-liks seed OF the tulip trees
the females and young obscure brown birds
with heavily strealxed breasts. much the
build Of an English sparrow, and IN each
flock few old males looking As II they had
been dipped IN pot Of Tyrlan purple. While
this was the purple % elaen times VA
should nou describe 4 aa pink 81 earmina
Several common aaEamer birds renaaia Win