Evening star., 1947-02-27
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce1DeH.
"TWENTY-NINTH STREET

Dear Sir:
Being housebound today due to the
heavily falling snow, we quickly OBJ
served that the nearby dogwood tree
was almost red with cardinals-six
pair or more-so constant vigil has
been kept clearing the windowsill for
a good chow line Of sunhower seeds,
crushed and whole peanuts, soaked
raisins, etc.
1.-THE juncos were almost the greatest
delight with their beautiful little musi-
cal twittering and looking like black
velvet Included in the constant stream
were the goldfnckas. ~ s
"Our prize this winter has been the
ruby-crowned kinglet, here all day, and
we wonder If the description given in
your article Of February Is doesn't fit
him better than 1t does the goldflnch,
because Of the more pronounced w
marks to the tail. We have had ample
opportunity to observe this beautiful
little fellow, which appears smaller
than the goldfinch. The ruby crown
does not always show, but goes up-one
may say-like eyebrows.
"He goes only to the suet, appearing
to rise on tiptoe to reach the part he
wants. Occasionally he hops on the
ground, picking up particles dropped by
the larger birds.
I'm spite of the snow, however, we
notice the male cardinal at times feed
ing his spouse. We have been more
than rewarded with the show today.
I'VE want to thank you for your most
interesting and enjoyable articles read
by us every evening.
Sincerely, H. M. S."
\ Il X
The ruby crowned kinglet does not
have a grosbeak type bill, nor is it of a
brown color.
The kinglet is one of the most ex-
quisite small creatures in the winter
world.
1t is beautiful greenish-gray or
green tempered with gray, and could
never be confused with the goldfnch,
which definitely has thick bill.
The kinglet Is so exquisite that it re-
minds one Of the better made porcelain
flgurines. The real bird, however, has
something that no ceramic ever had,
and that Is life.
This is shown by constant action in
what might be called an excessive way.
The bird is never still for moment
but is always dropping down from leaf
to leaf in the shrubbery he frequents.
A favorite bush Is the rhododendron.
Its thick leaves make fine perches for
this fellow. The red on the head of this
ruby-crowned kinglet is not easily seen
during the cold days. If one watches
carefully, however, the bird may lower
the head and In doing so unfold the
green feathers and slightly raise the red
YNA rk.xy t. I~Ack l.
fighting and courtship.
It is such slender little bird that
it would seem impossible for it to stand
snow and ice storms, and yet it is re-
garded as an extremely hardy species.
Redbirds are perhaps the most beau
tiful OF all birds against snowy back
ground.
Then the brilliant feathers and the
black around the bill combine to make
a gorgeous sight.
The second most beautiful bird in the
snow is, in our opinion, the blue Jay.
He is especially fine when he may be
contrasted with cardinal not too far
away. Here we have the red, white and
blue in all its glory.
All other wintering species, however,
benefit from the snow. Even common
sparrows become little gray Quaker
ladies.
Snow birds look fine in snow. The
turtle dove gathers beauty against the
whiteness.
Most human beings, alas, gain only
red noses in the snow. It should dini-
nish the vanity of earth,s only con-
ceited creature to realize that in this
respect he cannot vie with the birds.
But humans, of course, are not really
at home in the cold. They merely pre-
tend to be. Despite their sleds and snow
shoes and sweaters with deer on them
they long for the comfort of the fire.
side and we doubt not that their IA
vorite book will be the one recently
written by some enterprising person
who knew his human beings. It is
called How to Retire to Florida" It
should make good reading in q WASH
ington winter.