Evening star., 1946-04-03
This and That
By Charles E. TracepeU.
IT STREET.


Dear Sir:
"At long last I've seen bluebirds-a
half dozen of the beauties Last Satur-
day, while waiting along the canal at
Great Falls, I first spotted one in the
low branches of tree, and then several
more were seen flying from tree to tree.
'"One, in particular, seemed pleased
to pose for several minutes without
showing alarm at our close inspection.
This little fellow was evidently a male,
as he was brightly colored-more so, I
suppose, than the female His blue
back and gray and reddish breast fairly
sparkled in the sunlight. Does he have
song? 1t has been many years since
I've seen a bluebird, although in your
column you have stated that the blue
bird belt runs from Wesley Heights
east through Chevy Chase.
"a little farther along the path we
encountered flock of wild canaries
feeding in the tops of some Towering
trees-there must have been 20 or more.
Is wild canary the proper name for these
birds?
Il enjoy your column, and seldom
miss reading it.
Yours very truly, R. B. N"
Xxx
ARLINGTON, Va.
Dear Sir:
Il noticed in your column of few
days ago that an elderly lady says she
has not seen bluebird in long time.
Il, too, am woman in advanced
years, and although I've always been in
tereSted in birds, I have never seen
bluebird in all my life. notice you say
they may be seen around Arlington.
Il have been living in Arlington for
the past five years but have never seen
one. What foods will lure them?
rs the goldf1nch about the size Of
sparrow, with a mixture of sort of
canary coloring and green, resembling
mixed colored canary? Last summer
near Falls Church I saw a beautiful
canary colored bird with solid black
wings, about the size of a sparrow
lighting on thistle bush. Was this
goldfnch?
I'm the vicinity of Frederick, Nd,
heard the sweetest song of bird. It
started with four distinct notes at inter-
walls, followed by rippling song, SEEM
ing gradually to fade away. What bird
was that?
Il have received valuable information
from your column in the past years.
Thank you for the pleasure it has given
me.
Sincerely, w. H. B."
X X
There are few birds more talked about
and seen less than Americas Justly
famous and beloved bluebird.
TT is M uncommon thipr to 6pd nav,
sons who have never seen one in all
their lives
Until the writer here became interest
ed in birds in 1884, he had never seen
this all-time favorite.
A great storm in the gay 90s killed off
hundreds of thousands of these gentle
creatures.
Slowly they have been working their
way back, but modern life, especially
in and around large cities, is not suited
to them. They are not suited to it.
Bluebirds have beautiful warble,
embodying the real music of the spring.
time.
Raisins and bread may lure them, but
there is no surety about it.
At various times of the year the gold
finch wears different dress and may
easily be mistaken for other species dur
ing these odd moments.
The bird with the sweet song proba-
bly, was the song sparrow, of which
there are thousands of specimens in
and around Washington.
The song has about 1000 variations
recorded-but the usual form is two
separate and distinct notes, followed by
one or two on slightly higher pitch,
followed by rippling descent which
reminds one of silvery brook. There is
no finer bird experience than to
watch and listen to this little fellow sing
from fence post in the snow.