Evening star., 1946-01-14
This and That
Bu Charles E. TrdceDeH.
"LANIER PLACE.

Dear Sir:
"For several years we have run
bird canteen on the broad window sill
of our apartment kitchen, and following
advice given in your column we have
had many birds.
Our service seemed to be satisfactory,
and good time was apparently had by
all-until a few days before Christmas,
when, with one accord, our small Gus
toners all decamped, and we haven't
seen so much as tail feather of them
since, despite tempting menus which we
have continued to spread for their con-
sideration.
Whether they called a walkout or a
sympathy strike or something Ito keep
up with the times in the hope of getting
an assortment of fancy bird seed with a
few juicy angleworms on the side. we
don't know, and are wondering If you
can shed any light on their sudden and
unanimous desertion of us. Only the
squirrels remain loyal
Sincerely, G. E. M"
Y
A location near the National Geological
Park, as our correspondents is, may
suspect the presence of some hawk, when
all the birds at feeding station 60
away and stay away.
There are in the District of Columbia
few specimens OF the marsh hawk,
the duck hawk, the rough-legged hawk,
the pigeon hawk and the sparrow hawk.
Other hawks may be found in nearby
Maryland and Virginia.
The Zoo grounds, with the profusion
0f o1 irl
tive to all free-fying birds.
The adjacent Rock Creek Park at
tracts many.
The presence of any hawk in neigh
borhood is sure to scatter the songbirds,
especially those which frequent feed
ing station. There they are grouped in
a comparatively small space, and the
wandering hawk has no trouble at all
in catching one from the group
Sudden disappearance of all small
birds in this way may be due to other
reasons. The Christmas air rife, in
years past, always accounted for few
feeders, but in recent years the BIB shot
and their instrument of firing have been
lacking, and so this reason for the dis
appearance of birds from busy feeding
station has not been in operation.
The presence of dogs in unusual num-
bers, or cats, sometimes will drive them
away.
Then, too, the unknown cause must
be considered, Despite the fact that
people have loved and watched birds
for hundreds of years, comparatively
little is known about them.
1t is to be presumed that birds have a
psychology of their own. One factor in
it, scientists tell us, is fear.
The average bird is timid. This applies
to all of them, not just to one species.
All of them are afraid, and this forms
the basic fact in their lives, we are told.
They have good reason for fear,
undoubtedly. When we look at them,
and see how comparatively fragile they
are, and how much larger most of their
enemies are, we may wonder how they
are able to live out their lives as well
as they do.
Thousands of our songbirds die long
before their time, even under the best
conditions. Migration takes toll every
year.
Modern inventions place hazards be-
fore birds which they did not have in
the old days.
All in all, there are many reasons
why birds will leave well-frequented
bird feeding place. The difficulty comes
in finding the real one in any given case.
We have noticed for many years that
birds are very likely to be shy at
Christmas time. In our own yard we
have come to count on lessened focks
at Christmas. This is always a dis
appointment, and especially to the per.
son who has Just recently taken ur
the sport.