Evening star., 1946-03-15
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrdceUell.
NEW LONDON. Conn.

NEW LONDON, Conn.
Dear Sir:
Your columns about the evening
grosbeaks reported in the vicinity of
Washington intrigued me, and I was
quite envious of those who were so lucky
as to see them. You can imagine how
elated was, therefore. when I noticed
two strange birds in my feeding tray
last week.
"A closer inspection led me to believe
they were female evening grosbeaks, but
they flew away after few seconds. /
Immediately rummaged through my
clippings to find your advice on food
preferences, and following your sug-
gestions, put out dish of raisinS, oats,
apple seeds and sunhower seeds, in ad-
dition to the wildbird seed mixture,
hoping that some one Of these tidbits
would lure the birds back.
THE visitors did not return that day,
but the following morning at about 8
o'clock, there were eight-not only the
two original females, but two brilliant
and two less bright males and two ad-
ditional females. At that time we had
snow covering the ground, and their COL
oring was beautiful against the white
ness.
THE grosbeaks took complete possess
sion Of the tray-put to flight the Eng
lish sparrows which are permanent fix
lures. The group flew away after half
an hour or so, and about an hour later
some l8 of them returned. hoped to
see them again, but they have not come
back. Do you think they might have
been migratory band going North
after being down in your neighborhood?
~
I'VE have had good luck with our
feeding tray-a pair Of downy wood
peckers, numerous chickadees, one song
sparrow Il wonder where his mate can
beO and about eight tree sparrows
come regularly Until the middle Of
January, a nuthatch was faithful, but
I haven't seen him since. There is
flock of juncos which come. but notice
they will not alight on the tray but
wait on the ground beneath for what
ever is whisked down by the other birds.
Last January missed the birds for
several days. and one morning heard
terrific twittering from the rose thicket
which is next to the feeding tray.
II looked out, and on a pole next to
the thicket saw perched gray hawk,
about the size of robin, with light,
slightly marked breast. There was some
white in the wings and tail, but no out
standing identifying marks.
Il had never seen a hawk before, but
the nasty beak was unmistakable. The
small birds were hiding in the depths of
the thorns and stickers, and their little
chirpings were pitiful. Do you think
this bird was sharp-shinned hawk?
II thought you would like to know
that you have a reader In New London
and want to tell you how much enjoy
your columns.
Sincerely yours, J. s. M"
y i X 4
called sparrow hawk is about ii inches
long. The female is from - to IA in
ches long. The color above Is . dark
bluish-slate; below, white.
The true sparrow hawk, or American
sparrow hawk, is also IL inches long,
but the color above is cinnamon-rufous
below, pale rusty and whitish.
This real sparrow hawk is the most
socisble Of the hawks, but is no friend
OF the smaller birds, although 1t eats
more mice than it does birds.
The sharp-shinned hawk is generally
1S8AAuC0 DO OAlC "a tAlC tAllCC 'WOLSt
hawks, although it is not much larger
as to body-than the robin.
The other two are the Cooper's hawk
and the goshawk.
These three are held to be worthy of
destruction, but the remainder of Amer
lean hawks are more sinned against
than SHINING. The habit OF many per-
sons Of shooting all hawks on sight is
held by experts to bring its own punish
ment in the continued increase OF YER
| min and insect pests.
This demon, the sharp-shinned, kills
fickers, as we'll as owls, also doves, rob-
ins, titmice, and many others. In an
examination of the stomachs Of some
Of these vicious little hawks the remains
Of so songbirds were found. These ranged
| from the hermit thrush, the bluebird
and the robin, to the little wrens, nuts
matches and chickadees. Out Of lot
stomachs containing food, lo3 had the
remains q birds