Evening star., 1944-06-21
This and That
By Charles E. TrdcelDeH.
CLIFTON STREET.

L.
Dear Sir:
'The pleasant pastime of making
friends of the birds in the neighbor-
hood and in coaXing them to ones
windowsill for breakfast is one of the
best remedies for strained nerves. A
few minutes spent every morning in
feeding the birds and in watching them
will help to bring peace to shattered
nerves and health to the bones of thou
sands Of folk who spend eight hours
a day in busy offices, as well as to the
ones who remain at home.
There Is a stoop just outside my
third-story window that proves to be
good feeding place, for there the birds
are safe from prowling cats and in
quisitive dogs that roam the streets and
on this stoop I place raisins and oat-
meal flakes every morning. The SPAR
rows and the starlings were the first
guests to partake of the breakfast and,
naturally, I was not altogether pleased
for the table had been set for the
songSters
IT did feel bit conscience stricken
for not welcoming them, for after all
sparrows and starlings are attractive
and prove very interesting. and they
have to eat. One sparrow in particu-
lar does not seem to be disheartened
by the unfriendly attitude of larger
birds that visit the feeding place.
"Oftentimes when chased away, the
sparrow continuously darts toward the
food, and when he Is able to snatch
bite, he utters the sweetest and most
triumphant gurgling chirp and swiftly
flies to limb to enjoy himself
"The coat of the startling, when seen
in the slanting rays Of the sun. is iri-
descent, and one must admit that he
is handsome bird. Then, too. the
clear soft whistling of this bird during
the day is to be appreciated.
THE catbirds seem to be more in
clined to breakfast at my house than
the other birds. At first they were
somewhat timid, but now they seem to
know me. and 1t is interesting to watch
them as they gracefully lift their wings
and tails, make few swift turns, and
then flirt right up to the windowsill
to eat. At times one catbird stands
guard on the stoop, and although he
does not seem to care to eat, the other
birds are not allowed to approach the
feeding station The catbird has vocal
ability rivaling that of his kinsman, the
mockingbird, and I am puzzled becau
he refuses to sing at my window after
eating his breakfast; but perhaps he
realizes that he is unable to sing his
best on full stomach.
He Is great actor and apparently
loves to show Off and his self con-
sciousness and vanity are such as to be
very amusing.
"A jay flew to the feeding station the
other day in a pompous manner and.
in a scolding and raucous voice and
with feathers ruff1ed, he soon put to
flight all of the birds.
Very truly, L. w"
Perhaps many Washingtonians who
! live upstairs lament the fact that they
do not have yard where they can feed
the birds.
Our correspondent shows how this
may be done easily and satisfactorily
TO all concerned.
In the older parts of the city there
are hundreds of second and third story
balconies, or stoops, or whatever one
chooses to call them.
Mostly they are good for nothing,
since few persons ever come out on them
Unless they are used to feed the birds.
lney are just ornamental. PUTTING out
seeds, grains and raisins for the birds
will afford much amusement to the per-
son who does it, and at the same time
be a great help to the feathered life
of the neighborhood.
Special care must be taken, of course
to keep such a place clean. One of the
advantages of an elevated feeding place
| is that nothing except hawks or grackles
those
| place. And the birds like the situation,
| too, because it is high in the trees,
which they love best of all 1t Is diff
| cult to have dogs or cats in rented
rooms, but any one can have birds, and
| to many natures these make the best
| pets Of all.