Evening star., 1937-02-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
Reference to the failure Of some juncos
tn come In a feeding station has brought

Reference to the failure Of some juncos
to come to feeding station has brought
upon the devoted head Of a friend Of
birds an avalanche of letters.
Juncos. or snowbirds, do come to feed
ers. their friends declare, and in no un-
certain terms. A few samples:
Dear Sir: I note from This and That
statement that the favorite little tuncos
seldom patronize feeding station.
This must correct, as I've had for
the past three years all-day visits from
this little beauty, not one. but any num-
ber, from morning until about 3 pm.
"They have their choice Of feeders;
one I love best because it hangs from the
roof edge directly In front of my bed room
window, within inches Of reaching dis
tance; this brings them in clear view.
"Often they remain on swinging feeder,
pounding away at sunflower seeds until
full meal is enjoyed. then away. Other
small birds such as nuthatches fly
straight from near tree, dozens Of times,
carrying seed to bark, wedging 1t tightly,
so he can tap, tap, tap until one end
opens, removing meat or heart Of seed.
\ X
Then I've the purple finch, another
sweet singer. He, too, loves this box and
has no fear of my watching him. They're
really not purple, more deep rose.
About the bluejays-such wonderful
big fellows have every Winter, so well
fed they seem unusually large. They eat
sunflower seed from yard feeder, but
their special meal Is taken from roof Of
side porch, directly in view of window.
This treat is the jays delight
roasted peanuts In the shell. They call
continuously each morning from Z o'clock.
and the minute I throw them a handful
as many as eight at time dive grace
fully from a tree, land directly on food,
taking shell and all up on branch,
open, take out nut, hold this until all is
eaten, then back for more.
MY cardinals, too, are indeed un-
usually large and beautiful. They also
like sunhower seed and fresh roasted pea
nuts. I feed bread to starlings, and they
love 1t only fresh.
IF the correspondent would try large
feeder about feet from the ground, then
with this few small feeders as I've de-
scribed, one at each window Il have four
attractive ones, all weather protectedD,
I'm sure they'd have plenty Of callers to
feed. Indeed, they are pleasure to look
after: every evening while bright you
must put out fresh seed, as the daybreak
brings many more birds than one can
ever name unless knowing feathered
creatures. Sincerely, A. B. L."
Dear Sir: I always enjoy your bird
articles, and after reading one in yes
terday's paper. am wondering whether
the juncos and song Sparrows that come
in large numbers to my feeding station
are of different temperament than
those you and your correspondent write
about.
"Not only do they feed at the station,
but enter, apparently without any fear,
into a large outdoor cage where the
canaries are kept during the Summer.
The cardinals also enter this cage for
feed, as also do the chickadees, titmice
and nuthatches.
The various other birds. woodpeckers.
bluebirdS, mockingbirdS prefer the feed
ing station. The pestiferous English
sparrow-and I cannot agree as to his