Evening star., 1945-09-20
This and That
BY Charles Z. TrdceUeH
20 sTRErT
BY Charles 1
C STREET

Dear Sir:
Each year, at our country place, we
find several robins nests, one or more
of which may be built In an open shed
or under q porch roof. or in a nearby
tree.
This year a robin tried to build on
the ledge that supports the iron rail for
q sliding door. She located the nest
between the side of the shed and one
Of the wheels from which the door is
slung-a very snug and attractive place
until the door was moved
For eight consecutive days that bird
built the beginnings of a nest. in that
spot. got out of the shed each morn
ing about or 10 o'clock, and there the
nest would be. Naturally, it fell to the
ground when I pushed back the door,
which had to be opened each morning
and closed again In the evening.
only once did I so much as catch
sight Of the bird, and then she merely
few swiftly away, without protest.
didn't even get a chance in mercy to
scare her of to safer place
Every one of those eight days the
nest was started from nothing, and
reached the same stage-a foundation
OF grasses, licllens, etc. with sides ex-
tended upwart into a shallow nest
shape New material was brought each
day. She ignored the fallen nests rest
ing on the grass Immediately below her.
Nature had taught her to scour around
for her maxings; to pick them up from
a heap already gathered, even her own,
was not in her instruction book.
sff1fv vtv dapc hAr sfr,tr$,,ro uoc ,,ar
fectly dry. No mud had been brought.
BY that time she must have 'smelled a
rat for on the seventh and eighth days
it was wet and well mudded from the
start. After that she gave it up, and
no more nests were started behind the
shed door wheel
Very truly yours, r. F. W.
"P. S.-Since wrote the foregoing,
my wife tells me that two weeks later,
after had gone and the shed was
permanently closed, robin came and
built there. The bird must have
thought df Mrds think that she was
right about it after all.
Il was Astonished one time to read in
your column that Baltimore orioles pre-
ferred NAPLES in which to build, but
sometimes sought elms. studied birds
for years when I was young fellow
Where lived we had so many Balti-
more orioles (hangbirds) that some
times the rascals hardly left US green
peas for ourselves. They would slit open
q pod and eat most Of the peas at a
great rate. The elm trees were where
they nested, practically without ex-
ception. The gracefully dropping,
gently swinging elm branches were
ideally adapted to their pendant, basket
like homes I can't imagine such nests
in the inhospitable structure of maple
tree, which, of course, Is fine for any
bird building in crotch"
=
Robins are notorious for selecting un-
usual sites for their nests.
Several years ago family which had
just purchased new home in Chevy
Chase, Nd, found that a mother robin
had built her nest over the front door
in such way that it was impossible for
the door to be opened without injuring
the nest and disturbing the baby robins.
So the members of this family used
the side and back doors of the house
exclusively until the robin family was
raised.
Down in Chevy Chase, D. O., a robin
few into house under construction,
and despite the presence of workmen
hurryins to and fro, began to build 4
nest in the bathroom in the space re-
served for the medicine cabinet.
v
The cabinet was left until the last,
and was not put up until the busy birds
had completed their use. OF the space.
the window was left open for their
benefit.
We believe our correspondent is
right about Baltimore orioles preferring,
as general thing, the various elms as
sites for their nests The locust, too,
Is favorite.
OF the NAPLES, the cut-leaf variety is
the one mostly selected. A great deal
depends, evidently, on the site, and Just
what trees are available Ia it,