Evening star., 1940-03-06
THIS AND THAT
By Charles z. Trnce1oeH.
BETHESDA. Md

BETHESDA. Md.
Dear Sir: Your column is most in
teresting to us as 1t furnishes sort of
check regarding birds seen at other sta
tions in and around Washington. We
have noticed that Carolina wrens and
tree sparrows have been winter visitors
at several places, and we have had them
here, too.
I'm the same way, we are using the
diary we started last year as a check
against bird arrival and departure in
our particular neighborhood. It also
brings back vividly interesting incidents
and happenings and we turn to it often
as source Of comparison of one year
with another. For instance, I am taking
two days, February 10 and II, 1899, and
February 10 and II, 1910:
February 10, 1939-We saw our first
robins yesterday on the Bannockburn
Club grounds. Such a nice, grassy, hill
and-dale place seems to appeal to them.
This morning we saw the first one in the
yard. He looked rather puffy and al
most sad, but the ground is moist and
perhaps he will find worms. The moles.
drat their hides, have been working in it.
Mr.. Cardinal sits serenely munching
sunf1ower seeds on the tray under the
pine. The nuthatch doesn't quite like
the idea, although there are plenty of
seed and other food on other trays.
There he goes down the tree, head first.
and as he nears the feeder he has
stopped and is hanging from his toes.
swinging with outstretched wings back
and forth like pendulum, scolding all
the time. A pretty display but ineffec-
tive in dislodging Mr.. Cardinal. He has
tried these tactics several times and has
now turned away to seek provisions else
where.
The fox sparrows were here todav.
They are about the size of the purnle
inches, but what a red-brown and what
lovely markings How their feet fly In
scratching for food!
\ X y X
February IL, 1939-Spread cracked
corn and millet on the table in the back
yard The nuthatch got for himself q
varied diet. First he dined on cracked
corn at the table. then flew to the cage
lor course OF suet and finally dashed
10 the window after sunflower seed for
dessert. Here he met with competition
from the tufted titmice, chickadees and
nutnatches that were coming and going
continuously. Mr.. Downey is perched on
the hickory. gorging on suet, his fayorite
pastime. we think. 1t is midafternoon
but the cardinals have not come for
their dinner. They prefer to eat late
perhaps because they have the place to
themselves.
February 10, l940-The snow has all
most left the yard. Under the boxes and
trays are piles of sunflower shells. Does
1t seem possible that in a months time
the birds could shell over a hundred
pounds OF them? But ours have done
just that. Shells are literally eyerv-
where. i have seen some ridges on the
ground where We have fed grain and
wonder II the moles are going to come
tnere after food. A few moth balls have
usually worked very nicely, as the moles
usually desert the runways after an
application of them. Yesterday We
looked for robins on the club grounds
and although the snow had pretty much
disappeared, we saw none. We notice In
This and That that they have arrived
around Washington, but only our first
counts with us. The tree sparrow that
has been eating with the flock of juncos
has not been seen for two or three davs
=
February IL, 1940-It has been much