Evening star., 1944-02-14
This and That
By Charles E. TraceUeu,
"DECATIJR STREET

oCdl OH
While driving on Sixteenth street be-
tween Luzon street and the District
line. I was impressed with the number
OF birds nests, empty, of course, in the
trees which line either side OF the street.
I decided to drive slowly and count
them. There were 81 that I saw and
counted. They showed so plainly in the
leafless trees.
Some of them were fairly large and
looked like robins nests. Others were
small. One had strips of paper or cloth
hanging from it, wood thrush's nest,
perhaps.
II was struck by the fact that some
Of the smallest were saddled on q
branch, usually high up, instead of in
fork Of the tree. I wondered how they
could be secure.
II consulted book I had forgotten
had, and found that these nests must
have been those of hummingbird a
wood pewee. or some of the smaller
members Of the fycatcher family.
There is always something new to
learn about birds
VERY respectfully yours, E. D. B."
=
Washington's vast tree system gives
residents excellent opportunity for nest
gazing.
1t may be said as general PROPOSE
ton that the majority of trees which
were in the District Of Columbia 20
years ago are still here.
The downtown section has many trees,
although not in every block. Eleventh
street, for instance, has trees on the
east side between D and E, but there
are few in the blocks above it.
Many people tend to forget trees al
together in winter. Our correspondents
letter should call their attention to
these interesting features of our urban
life A tree, properly looked at, is just
as interesting In winter as in summer
In fact, some people regard the bare
boughs and branches as even more
beautiful than when they are clothed
with leaves We do not hold to that
view, exactly, but do find the trees in
winter very interesting, not only for
their clear view of bird nests. but also
for the opportunity of seeing their exact
structure.
naked in winter, and to say that they
are clothed with leaves In summer, as
we have just done. This should not
obscure the fact that tree Is still alive
and vital in winter.
Many of Washington's splendid speci-
mems have a majesty all their own in
the cold months. 1t is then easy to note
the way the limbs grow and to appre-
ciate the patterns they make against
the sky. It Is just matter of really
looking. Certainly the middle Of the
street is not the place to do our tree
gazing. There Is enough danger with
out that.
Trees are so large and stand so un-
complainingly that most of us overlook
them as we do large and uncomplaining
people.
Certainly winter is the best time of
all for spying out bird nests, and squir-
rel nests, too. The latter are the un-
usually large and thick nests seen high
in many trees, especially in suburban
sections.
Since the hummingbird's nest is
scarcely more than an inch wide, and
very cleverly camouf1aged with lichens,
it is not very likely that many Of them
will be seen from the street. Mostly
they look to be nothing more than knots
on the tree.
The mother squirrel builds the large
summer nests" in which the babies are
born. Some Of these nests are also used
for shelter In winter.
Looking out the window we can see
q squirrel nest high in locust.
But what is that which the indus
tv{4 1aec ivN%N Col
Of her nest?
Surely 1t cannot be-but yes. 1t really
is-a bright apron from little Ruthie's
doll!
The strings Of the apron evidently
are woven into the nest, while the apron
itself flaps like banner in the wind
Just what the squirrel thought she
was doing we do not know, but anyway
she achieved . distinct novelty In squir-
rel housing.