Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-22
How su-roush. Helped s,u.birJ,.

One summer brought home from
a walk to the woods a section, two
OF three feet long, of large yellow
birch limb which contained such a
cavity as l speak of. and wired It
to one OF the posts OF the rustic
porch at Woodchuck Lodge. The
next season pair OF bluebirds reared
two broods in It. The incubation OF
the eggs for the second brood was
we'll under way when l appeared M
on the scene in early July. NV sud
den presence so near their treasures,
and my lingering there with books
and newspapers, disturbed the birds
a good de;hl. The first afternoon the
mother bird did not enter the cav
ity for hours.
The biris soon became used to my
presence and their household matters
progressed satisfactorily. Bon birds
shared the feeding the young which
grew rapidly. When they were near
iy ready to leave the nest cruel fate
befeil them: slept upon the porch,
and one night was awakened by the
cry OF young bluebirds, and the sound
OF feet like those OF u squirrel on the
roof over me. Then I heard the cry
OF a young bird proceed from the
butternut tree across the road op-
posite the house. ] said to. myself.
"A squirrel or an owl is after my
birds" The cry coming so quickly
from the tutternut- tree made me su,-
pect an owl, and that the bird whose
cry heard was In his talonsa was
out of my cot and UP to the nest In
O moment, but the tragedy was over:
the birds were all gone and the night
was silen.. In the morning I found
that piece of the brittle birch limb
had been torn away. enlarxing the
entrance TO the cavity no that the
murderouH talons OF the owl could
reach in and seize the young birds.
had been aroused in time to hear
the ara'ider on the roof with one,
and then hear its cry rs he carried 1t
to the tree. Ip the grass In front I
found one Of the young, unable TO
fly. but apparently unhurt. put II
back In he nest, but It would not
stay. The spell OF the nest was
broken. and the young bird took to
the grass again. The parent birds
were on hand. much excited, and
when ] tried 70 return the surviving
,, bird to the nest tho male came at
me fiercely. apparently charging the
whole catastrophe to me-
The next season the bluebirds oc.
cupied the cavity In the birch limb
again. but before my arrival In July
the owls had again cleaned them out.
In 80 doire they had ripped the cav
ity open nearly to the bottom. For
all that. early IN May Of the season
OF 1915, bluebfrds were occupying the
cavity sgain. II held three eggs
when L arrived. looked over the
situation and resolved to try to head
off the owl this time, even at the
risk Of driving the bluebirds away.
I took 4 strip OF tin several inches
wide and covered the SIT with II
and wired II fast. Then obtained a
broad strip OF dry birch bark,
wrapped II about the limb over the
tin. and wired It fast. leaving the en-
trance to the nest In It's original form.
I knew the owl could not slit the tin;
the birch bark would hide 1t and pre-
serve In 81 measure the natural APP
pearance az the limb. When the blue
birds saw what had happened to
their abo,le they were a good deal
distressed: they could no longer see
their egsls thru the slit which the
owl had made, and they refused to
enter the cavity. They hung about
all day. uttering Respondent notes,
approaching the nest at times. but
hesitating even to aiight upon the
roof above II. Occasionally the female