Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-04-09
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. TrdceDeH.
"TWENTY-SECOND STREET.


Dear Sir:
"A few days ago, when walking past
the White House early in the morning,
I noticed that the President had two
guests, unheralded by even The Star
I also assume that they were unlimited
guests. but nevertheless royal ones and
welcome.
They were two pileated woodpeckers
THE male, while not obtrusive, made
his presence known by his peculiar cry.
Il call home section of the coun-
try where there are extensive forests,
and while hunting deer, I have had
many opportunities to study these WON
derful birds, so I readily recognize the
cry.
However, could not believe that
these birds could be so far from their
native haunts until l finally spied them
in the top of one of the highest trees.
i have read your column in The
Star without fail, and have thoroughly
enjoyed 1t. I thought you would be in
terested. None OF the passersby seemed
to be.
Very truly yours, E. ]. r."
1hCoc lOIcS uWcllcGS occasionally
come to Washington.
They are second largest of all the
woodpeckers, and the largest that one
is likely to see.
The pileated is Is to 10 inches long,
slate-black with white and red mark
ings. the head with a conspicuous crest.
The bill is very large being longer
than the head. This is necessary, be-
cause this wonderful bird often digs a
nest feet deep into a tree.
1t is said that both the male and fe-
male require a month to dig out such
nest.
Forest beetles and ants, and wild
fruits comprise its food, none of 1t
coming from fields or orchards.
The word "pileated" means having a
plleus, or cap.
Most birds watchers here will not be
looking for pileated woodpeckers these
busy April days.
They will, rather have their eyes open
for the newly returned migrators
The robin and the bluebird already
have come back. and soon we will have
with us the catbird, the house wren the
ruby crowned kinglet, the brown
thrasher, and the Baltimore oriole.
These are just few. Care must be
taken not to confuse the thrasher with
the wood thrush, the latter due to ar
rive, officially, about April "a, but which
probably will be earlier this April, since
the season is advanced
The thraSher also Is brown, and also
has spotted breast. Some people call
1t the big thrush, but it is not a thrush
at all, being member of the hooking
bird family, and delightful singer.
The catbird is due April %, but will
come in somewhat earlier this spring.
Look for him, for he is one of the
real princes Of the American bird world.
He nests low, usually in shrub, often
close to house, and will need some
protection.
He and his family are very fond of
raisins.
The orlole will come about April %
or earlier-and is another real bird
prince. The female builds the nest. at
the end of long horizontal bough. She
binds it with cord, and displays a real
knowledge of stresses and strains in
doing so.
LIZ 1AiNASO bI1ltAllS uuC aplll 10. I16
is the color of the paper used to wrap
around absorbent cotton.
The scarlet tanager arrives April 16
And Jenny Wren about the middle of
the month.
Other migrating birds due back this
month include the wood pewee, the
hummingbird, the chimney swift, cliff
swallow, barn swallow, red-eyed vireo,
White-eyed vireo, the yellow throat IA
warbler), the black and white warbler,
the parula warbler, the yellow warbler
and the kingbird
The Maryland yellow-thro arrives
about April Is. This is the one with the
yellow body and the fine black mask
across the face. Beginning with the
latter part of April and extending well
into May, floods of warblers will come
through on their way north.