Evening star., 1938-06-24
EAST FALLS CHURCH, VA.


"You will recall that I phoned you
recently regarding = list Of nifty birds
seen ut or near East Falls Church, Va.
Since then have seen six additional
and expect to add more to my list.
These birds have been definitely
identified except where noted, and most
of them can be seen daily in the wooded
area behind our house. Since nesting
time is 10 far advanced, the songs are
not as frequent, but close attention with
the feld glasses and = little bit Of
patient waiting. and one u rewarded
by sight Of them.
I'VE have lived In various parts Of
the country and have seen many birds
not on this list, but have never before
seen such 4 variety. Have been quite
successful identifying the warbler
family, but the hermit thrush, olive
backed thrush and gray checked thrush
have me puzzled. did not list the
hermit thrush although am sure I
have seen that or the other two above
mentioned. Am using the book, Birds
of America" as my guide.
yours very truly, D. q. B."
&AA
The list Of birds seen at Falls Church
and vicinity follows:
Robin, bluebird, cardinal, titmouse.
chickadee, junco, towhee. nuthatch,
downy woodpecker. red -bellied wood
pecker. flicker, fox sparrow, song sparrow,
English sparrow, chipping sparrow,
starting. crow. house wren. blue Jay,
Baltimore oriole. orchard oriole. scarlet
tanager. brown thrasher, wood thrush,
veery, brown creeper, black and white
warbler. Maryland yellow throat, yellow
throated warbler. hummingbird, whip
poor-will. quail, kildee. indigo bunting.
purple hnch, phoebe, buzzard, mourning
dove, purple martin, catbird, woodcock,
hooded warbler, black-throated blue
warbler, oven bird, chestnut sided war
bier. crested hycatcher. warbling vireo.
myrtle warbler, redstart, magnolia
warbler, chimney swallow, barn swallow,
kingbird. marsh bird OF plover family,
small gray bird.
A list Of birds seen in Chevy Chase,
Nd. by one observer, included the
hummingbird. Maryland yellow throat,
goldfinch. house wren, Carolina wren,
black and white warbler, chickadee,
brown creeper. English sparrow. indigo
bunting. nuthAtch, tufted titmouse
junco, purple flnch, oven bird. pewee,
song sparrow, downy woodpecker, fox
sparrow, bluebird. scarlet tanager, barn
swallow. white.throated sparrow, yellow
breasted chat, wood thrush, Baltimore
oriole, towhee, startling, cowbird, catbird,
cardinal, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied
woodpecker, robin, mockingbird. brown
thrasher. flicker, bluejay. pigeon hawk,
dove, purple grackle, pigeon, crow.
The birds In the second list are given
in the order Of length, from the tiny
hummingbird, at 81 inches, to the crow
at lo% inches.
The English sparrow and the robin
are taken generally by bird enthusiasts
as standards Of measurement, to help an
observer identify strange songster.
The English sparrow measures 81
inches from end Of tail to tip Of bill;
the faithful robin. 10 inches.
Thus when the amateur bird watcher
sees . new one. he asks himself, first
OF all. Is 1t larger than an English
sparrow, or smaller; II smaller, the bird
cannot be So-and-so; II larger, then Is
1t as big as robin2
The majority of the birds In the second
list herewith fall into the class In size
between the English sparrow and the