Evening star., 1946-03-30
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrdcelUeU.
FIRST PLACE S.W


Dear Sir:
Last spring a pair of mockingbirds
started to come to my kitchen window
sill for raisinS. One seemed braver than
the others and we named him Tommy
Tucker because he would come and sing
for his raisinS.
HE grew more friendly and 7 could
open my window while he was sitting
on the porch roof, and as soon as I
closed it he would fly down After
awhile I put out the raisins for him
and kept the window open and he would
fly down and eat
Then I opened the window, but did
not put out any raisins, and he would
step in on the inside sill. He and his
mate raised a family of five in the
next yard and tormented our two dogs
every time they were out by bomb
diving them. But Tommy was growing
still friendlier
"One day 1 opened the window and
instead of putting the raisins on the sill
held them in my outstretched hand and
Tommy started eating from it. Finally
when he would come I could go out on
the porch steps and he would fly down
to my hand for the food.
Then one day in late fall we found
a dead mockingbird by our chimney
and after that, since Tommy didn't ap-
pear at our window SILL we took it for
granted that he was the dead one
Several weeks ago during a cold
drizzly rain my husband called me to
lvi{
jected looking mockingbird with one eye
tight shut.
I'VE talked to him through the closed
window, and he started to eat some
scrambled egg and raisins I had put
there for another mockingbird which had
come earlier.
He rested on the sill for about 20
minutes, and he has been coming for
raisins now these past weeks.
He didn't fear us at all. keeping
his bad eye toward us all the time
He seemed to act like our Tommy,
and tonight 1 found out that he is.
Il looked out while I was doing my
dishes and saw him looking in. There
were no raisinS on the sill, SO got some
in my hand, opened the window and
held out my hand; and Tommy, that
was still sitting there, reached over and
ate several raisins.
Were glad to see him, and glad his
eye is getting better, too.
I'VE enjoy your bird stories and
thought you would ours.
Sincerely, NJ L. L."
MOckingbirdS are among the braveSt,
and not only come to sills, as our CORE
spondent reports, but also may be
trained to come indoors.
This column several years ago car
ried story of suburban resident who
had mocker eat breakfast with the
family every morning.
They left the screens out, and this
bird would fly in and perch on the table,
where it would help itself to what it
fancied
We believe that many mockingbirds
could be induced to do this by the tao
tics outlined above All that would be
necessary would be to carry them one
step further by letting the bird see
the food indoors.
Mockers will remain on a lattice or
porch rail when humans are standing
in doorway watching it. Not many
species will do this. Most smaller birds
fly away at the appearance of any one
in a door. Many of them will fly the
moment curtain at window is moved.
Not so the mockingbird. He is truly
brave at all times, occasionally carry
ing this trait to real belligerency.
Raisins are his favorite food, but he
also likes bread in it's various forms
apples, and doughnuts. The latter are
very much loved by him. A good idea is
to sprinkle them on a certain spot on
the lawn. The mockingbirds will soon
learne to look for them there. -