Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-03-01
Where the Winter Birds Sleep

Night comes with silent swiftness
out in the woods these winter days
and it is interesting to note the vari-
Gus roosting places of the birds at this
season of the year. Winter nights
are often cold and the make-shifts of
the jays, owls, snow-sparrows, tip
snitchers, redbirds, and the rest Of the
feathered tribe who spend this period
with US is interesting and even anus
ing at times.
/ have often watched some jays at
distance to discover their sleeping
quarters, but one evening CHANGED
to catch about every genus, family,
and species of winter birds at their
bedtime.
1t was just after shutdown in that
quick twilight Of winters evening
and light snow covered the ground
which lent an added distinctiveness to
everything. was in thicket on the
other side of Deere Creek hunting. The
weeds and wild briers have run riot
over this old cut over piece of ground
for many years thus making it an
ideal feeding place for many birds al
uhis time of the year. had always
suspected the hollow snags and tree
tops made good beds for many of
them.
/ had tramped over most of the
clearing without result and was re-
turning by the cut-across path which
leads up by the old sheep shed. A
small pine squirrel and jay were nois-
lily berating each other in snag close
by this and being in no rush to get
hone decided to step a moment and
learn the cause of the disturbance. The
Il 1c-kol &c fhov,
the squirrel whisked down the side of
the stump and and disappeared in
clump of brush nearby. The jay upon
his disappearance flew Immediately tc
the top of q nearby bush and uttered
three loud calls which sounded like
apeer-o-lee peer-o-lunk," as much as
to say, "the squirrel has now gone and
we are ready to bunk" Soon another
Jay made its appearance, undoubtedly
the mate Of he first and after a few
low remarks in jayese they few up to
the hole vacated by the squirrel and
disappeared.
a small band Of snowbirds were
twittering together in clump of
hriars over to one side of the path
but these soon vanished in pile of
brush. l then observed two yellow
hammers perched on the bare limb of
an ash tree over across the woods
Suddenly an owl made his appearance
from some unseen crevasse in its top
perched himself moment near the
two hammers, then glided noiselessly
of into the fast gathering gloom.
Plainly it was the hammers bedtime
for they soon disappeared into the de-
cayed top.
/ was thinking of pursuing my way
homeward when the low twink, twink
twink, twer-o-lee, twink, from the
leader of abevy of quail drew my at
tention to the lower part Of the thick
ct. They were coming directly to-
ward the shack in which was stand
ing. Hastily concealing myself ]
awaited their near approach. They
passed within three feet Of the door
way, scudding over the slightly crust.
ed snow like so many brown bits Of
feathered life that they were. They
circled off down into the bottom lane
nearer the creek and there collected
under a bunch Of weeds for the night
One evidently the leader of the bevy
flew to low limb near their roostine
place and proceeded to give the worlC
the benefit Of his evening song OF
thanksgiving for the light and joy Of
another day safely passed in the hol-
low Of Gods hand