Evening star., 1937-01-30
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

Some Washingtonians are fortunate
enough to have bluebirds for happiness
all Winter long.
One such person, living on Twenty
eighth street, writes:
II have often thought Of writing to
you regarding some Of my bird observa-
tions, since enjoy your articles 50 much.
your article of January 20 about the
relative time Of arrival Of bluebirds ana
fox sparrows was the immediate inspira-
ton for this. On that holiday morning,
when I had more time to watch for
birds, heard that 'trually, trually'
which is supposed to register the call OF
the bluebird.
For us it is not O matter Of arrival
of bluebirds: there is a pair which we
feed daily; they stay all Winter-not
Just this year. but every year.
II can we'll realize why you went into
ecstasies on March 20 of last year when
q pair visited your garden. On warm
Winter days ours 60 to the boxes as II
preparing to build; they even throw out
straws which sparrows have carried into
the houses.
"As late as Thanksgiving we had an
even half dozen with US, but apparently
the younger birds migrated. It was espe-
cially nice to have bluebirds on Christ
mas day as well as around New Year day.
*+
I'VE have been living in our present
location for four year and have had
bluebirds every year-two families until
last year, when there were three with
young numbering S, S. 2, or an even
dozen fledglings. from one pair.
Il know that it was 1.-The same pair
because the parents were still feeding
the previous family while preparing a
nest for the next. incidentally, two Of
the families-the last two-were reared
in the same house. The second nest was
built on top of the first. had planned
for a third family to be in a different
box, but they planned otherwise and
had eggs before we found out their
location.
Largely as q result Of your tolerance
articles on house sparrows, I permitted
a couple of nests in one of our boxes
last year. They nested only few feet
away from the blues 1t was very
interesting to see the bluebirds and the
sparrows join in q fight against the
starlings, when the latter came into the
yard-unfortunately also against the
wrens-although at one time last year I
could sit in our yard and watch blue
birds, spaIrows and wrens feeding their
young at the same time.
II always have feeders, but not many
species of birds come to them regularly.
The regular boarders this Winter have
been a single mockingbird, which stays
all Winter incidentally, he is a greedy
fellow and chases other birds away,
the pair Of bluebirds and plenty OF
sparrows.
"The tranSients or occasional visitors
this Winter have been juncoS, cardinals,
titmice, chickadees, nuthatches. wood
peckers and starlings. I am grateful for
the latter being occasional. ! have
never learned tolerance for them or any
others which fight the blues Yours
truly, E. NJ"
This is q pretty picture, English SPAR
rows and bluebirds helping each other,
one which We wish to call to the par
ticular attention of all persons who i'm
plicitly believe all the ISLANDERS they have
read in bird books against these SPAR
rows.
Here is Q local bird observer who has
seen something both interesting ana
beautiful. simply because he was wise
enough to be tolerant.
Not many persons have had such an
experience, surely, because everywhere
one turns the observer is sure to read
that sparrows will chase bluebirds away.