Evening star., 1947-02-06
This and That
Bu Charles E. Tr1cetDeH.
ARLINGTON, Va.

Dear Sir:
"A year has passed since we wrote you
to help us identify our then newly
welcomed rosy visitors, the purple
finches, and now they have returned
to partake Of the sunfower seeds which
grace their banquet board, our simple
windowsill feeder. - sa
"They and our steadfast friends, the
cardinals, adorn the humble board with
regal splendor; however, many guests
less brilliantly arrayed, such as the nut
hatch, titmouse, and chickadee are
equally welcomed and beloved.
1--WE wish to thank you for. the great
pleasure as well as knowledge which
your heartwarming column brings to
us and to your countless friends.
although apartment dwellers, our
windowsill feeder has many patrons
from Reveille, our cardinal visitor at
daybreak, to Mercury, the little flying
squirrel who glides silently out of space
to the feeder Just after nightfall to
feast on the remaining sunhower seeds,
with a few peanuts added for good
measure.
even the redheads, the downy and
the red -bellied woodpeckers, frequently
vary their suet diet by visit to the
board for sample of wildbird seed.
The mockingbird has appointed him
self sentinel, but so far has not turned
belligerent. His raisins and doughnuts
are served at spot removed, and he
prefers his seedless raisins soaked a bit
in winter.
"A favorite morsel with many Of our
feathered guests Is bread crumbs and
peanut butter blended as If mixing pie
crust.
Cracked peanuts are also relished by
shiny-eyed visitors. To the best of our
limited surroundings and ability we aim
to please our feathered friends who
give us far more joy than they can
possibly receive.
"Just one rare sight repaid the be-
holder for all the pounds Of feed carried
home during the entire year. 1t was of
a titmouse fiedgling on one of his first
solo flights to the feeder. After finishing
a midday meal of bread and peanut
butter, he contentedly spread out his
tiny wings and laid his baby head on
the banquet board for sun bath.
Blessings upon you for your splendid
work, and on all our little feathered
wayfarers, and on their devoted human
friends, the rays Of whose candle shine
clear and constant through the mists
of an atomic thinking age.
very sincerely yours,
"P. and M. McG."
Probably we shouldn't say this, after
Ja{% I.11f
little fellow of q titmouse was not
suffering from too much peanut butter!
Peanut butter is difficult food for
such small creatures to handle, until
they have learned in the school OF life
that discretion is the better part OF
wisdom.
SQUIRRELS often so overeat of cloggy
peanut butter that they gasp for breath
and must turn up on their back for
time, lying with their paws up in the
air.
The donor must keep in mind that
peanut butter is a very concentrated
food. something the creatures would
never find In nature.
It is a good plan to do as our cor
respondent has done. Mix the peanut
butter. with something else, and even
then use but teaspoonful at time.
One good way of putting this food
out for squirrels is to cut or fold q
small book" of cardboard, just few
inches square. and butter the inside
leaves with the food.
Then place the books in the yard.
= The SQUIRRELS find them in no time,
and sit on their launches in typical
fashion, holding the books in their
paws, reading" them in the approved
squirrel way.
Cottage cheese is another food to be
tried on the birds. Our experience is
that they will not eat it plain, in fact
seem to be afraid of 1t, probably OF the
dead white color.
It might, however, be mixed with
breadcrumbs, or covered with wheat or
corn flakes, or whole wheat cereal, or
with wheat germ.