Evening star., 1945-08-27
This and That
By Charles E. Trnce,Dell.
IN. EMERSON STREET.

Dear Sir:
During the summer nothing in the
garden affords more enjoyment to the
birds than the bath that has plenty of
fresh clean water in it.
There is tall cement one and one
made OF large cover painted white
placed on stones under tree. These
nave been filled during hot days as many
as four times and scrubbed with brush.
AT this writing see eight small birds
that are picture sitting on the edge
and drinking and then going in and
splashing.
The robins have fashion after the
bath OF turning and swishing their tail
feathers through the water.
My verdict Is that the bath and fresh
water are more necessary than feeding
In the summer
Very cordially, E. E. H."
This correspondent puts finger
squarely on "the bath that has plenty
Of fresh clean water in it,"
The emphasis is on the fresh clean
water. Birds do not require filtered
water, as humans do, but they want it
reasonably clean
We have seen bird baths which went
for days with no water at all and
others which contained foul Shiny water
Green algae, of course, are not bad
for natural creatures. Some of it will
grow in any bird bath. But most of it
should be kept swept out with an old
broom or brush.
The busy bird bath will need refllling
several times day A lively group of
rNhlnc
few minutes.
filled and kept filled is to turn the duty
over TO some one member of the family,
preferably one interested in birds.
In this way the job gets done every
day.
AS to whether food or water is most
important to birds in summer, there can
be no difference of opinion-food wins
OF course; the question further is,
whether any food need be put out at
all In the hot months?
The answer to this is two-fNd. Strictly.
no food need be put out, since there is
plenty OF natural food. But during the
nesting season, at least, proffered food
is greedily accepted by the parents, both
Tor themselves and their babies, since
the latter make such huge demands.
All the ground meat, raisins, bread
and seeds which may be offered will be
taken gratefully. Most of it goes to the
nest.
Finding enough food for several hun
cry growing youngsters Is difficult at the
best.
Supplemental rations are great help,
as any mother bird could tell you if it
could speak English
Certainly in its way the mocking
bird which daily came to our porch
railing for raisins did a good job of
speaking his thanks
There could be no doubt that he and
many others. including robins, catbirds
and wood thrushes, appreciated the
handout and benefited from the extra
supply.
Often In hot summer the ground is
so dry that no worms come to the sur
face. This situation has not existed
this season, but at the best bird must
do a great deal of searching to find
enough to go around
Often they give practically all they
find to their babies, becoming extremely
emaciated themselves through MANU-
triton
There can be no question that food
put out for them in spring and summer
is very helpful, besides affording great
deal of honest entertainment to the
one who puts it out.
If no food is placed during summer,
feeding should commence early in the
autumn, not later than September is,
to take advantage Of the migrating birds.
II they see birds feeding peacefully,
they will drop down, and water and food
are to them prime necessities In their
long journeys.