Evening star., 1941-12-09
ARLINGTON, Va.

Dear Sir:
'I also am a constant reader OF your
articles. Your philosophy of live and
let live I find, on the whole, very ap-
pealing. But there are times, am sure,
when it Is snare and delusion. I
have fed the birds for years. I have
certain feeling of responsibility towards
these guests have invited into my gar
den. If we provide so-called havens for
birds, we must realize that we give them
a feeling of security that may be their
undoing. My experience this season has
not been unlike that of other summers.
"One morning about a month ago I
found a pile OF feathers that unques-
tionably had belonged to our last robin
of the summer. He had been spending
several days in our garden. Yesterday
went out again to find, in practically the
same spot, the feathers of blue jay
every feather the poor fellow had owned.
I am blaming one or the other Of two
very elegant cats in our neighborhood,
who, believe, have more freedom than
they deserve. What other answer is
possible? The books insist that hawks
and owls (Which you mention OCCASION
ally) eat the feathers of their prey. My
garden is secluded but located in a
closely built up suburban section near
the Washington Golf and Country Club.
Is it likely hawk would come to such a
neighborhood? Both these cats visit my
I have placed baths and feeding sta
tions as wisely as possible. If people
with nice cats would only keep them in
the house during that tragic period from
4 to o'clock in the morning, the prob
lem would be much less acute.
Il also have a suggestion that may be
possible answer to letter appearing in
your column some time ago with regard
to several sparrows dying without ap-
parent cause. May it have been due to
lawn fertilizer? One day after COM
mercial fertilizer had been spread, I
found a blue jay on his back in great
distress. obviously choking or struggling
for air. When I picked him up in his
struggle to free himself he got the relief
he needed and soon was able to fly away.
My yardman and both believed he had
inhaled fertilizer or swallowed bread
covered with it. I would never let that
happen again.
For the birds sake, E T. A"
fA+
Hawks are very likely to come to
neighborhoods close to golf clubs.
10 u boI ;-;t
in our own garden in recent years and
We are located Just two blocks from the
Chevy Chase Club.
Such grounds in effect constitute bird
sanctuaries. Some of the clubs even set
aside few acres on which to grow
grains the birds love, and these they let
stand during the fall and winter.
Wherever small birds gather the hawks
are likely to come, and this applies also
to the small garden where feeding is
carried on.
Grains also attract mice, which hawks
prefer even to birds. As a matter of
fact. most hawks, including good and bad
hawks. are not such killers of bird life as
some persons believe. 1t is just another
case of giving dog bad name. A hawk
Is named sparrow hawk" hence most
persons jump to the conclusion that all
it does is fly around and kill sparrows.
1t is nearer the truth to say that this
smallest of our hawks, and also one of
the most beautiful, much prefers a nice
fat mouse
Yet, upon occasion. it will dive bomb at
sparrow. English or otherwise. 1t is
said that blue jays often sound the alarm
for the smaller birds when a hawk ap-