Evening star., 1944-10-03
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceDeH.
SILVER SPRING, Nd.

Dear Sir:
It, too, want to thank you for defend
ing the blue jay in one of your recent
articles.
"A pair fed at my window feeder all
last winter. 1t was most amusing to
hear his cry, as If he were saying, Clear
the track, here come and swoop down
like a mischievous boy.
But I noticed he did nothing II
some of the birds remained. Instead of
the rather cruel expression df one can
say bird has expression) that the bird
book depicts, he really has Jolly look.
Il could see him quite well through
the glass curtains without his seeing
me.
They built in a cedar tree near the
front Of the house and later brought
their three babies to my garden for
food and water. I keep tall bird bath
and three sunken ones.
Two are just old trash can tops.
hollow out the ground little and place
ring of stones around them. and have
natural looking water hole the birds
like very much.
"One of the loveliest sights I've seen
was the three baby blue jays all taking
a bath at the same time in one of these
sunken baths.
1--WE have been here about nine years
and have fed the birds winter and
summer. always whistle one of the
cardinals calls when I put food out
and it's something to watch the birds
come.
I've never missed the pair of cardi-
mails; they always bring their babies to
the garden. I really believe it's the
same pair as was here last summer Do
you think this probable7 They are feed
ing two babies now. Isn't this rather
late to bring out a brood?
I'VE have had great variety of birds.
The latest were -throated vireo,
two Maryland yellow-throats, and pair
of Baltimore orioles.
Ten song sparrows dwell in some
ivy in my rock garden. They are such
courageous little things, singing on cold,
bleak days as well as in the sunshine.
IF one really watches the birds he
will find them fascinating and will be
amazed at their apparent understand
ing.
Il always read your articles and
thoroughly enjoy them.
Sincerely, R. P. c."
Cardinals usually raise two, some
times three broods.
Eggs have been found from April Is
to July Is and young leave the nest as
early as May and as late as August "A.
Since young cardinals are fed by
their parents for about three weeks,
it is perfectly possible for a pair to be
seen feeding them in late September.
1t Is probable that our correspond
ents cardinal pair this season is the
same pair that nested in the yard the
year before.
1t is good idea to make as close in
spection as possible of the birds which
particularly intrigue one, and to see If
some difference in structure or color
may not be found, so that the bird can
be identified
Often bird carries one leg to the
side. or has some way of holding his
head. These points, as we'll as odd color
ing, will enable one to identity the bird
year after year.
Blue Jays have many friends. Often
they are not as articulate as the
Us
be literally thousands of bird watchers
who feel about them the same as this
correspondent.
Certainly the jay Is one OF our most
interesting songsters. Let us repeat that
he Is not called songster because he is
really . singer, but simply because OF
the way his throat muscles are placed
and their number, which put him in the
songbird classification of the ornitholo-
gists.
Although the jay Is not sweet singer,
IN any sense, he has q remarkable as
sortment Of expressive cries, some OF
which are soft and mellow. Often bird
sobservers little suspect that the mewinR
cries they hear are from bird, and
especially from jay. yet If they win
look closely they may see that rascal
peering out Of the leaves to go II any
one has been fooled.