Evening star., 1947-04-18
This Il q and d. That II.
Bycha,les, + .sTracemgu.
CABIN JOHN, Nd,

Dear Sir:
Il would like to express my apprecia-
ton both for your most enjoyable COL
umn and for the pleasure we have re-
ceived from our bird feeder which your
column inspired me To build
/ "our house Is about 200 fest from a
+ nearby woods. had little hope OF at
tracing anything more than juncos, as
our yard is open to neighborhood dogs
and cats and there is road between
our house and the woods. I was GER
tainly surprised and pleased at the
many different kinds of birds that
came to my feeder. There were many
that I didn't even know existed.
There are two mockingbirds which
are regular daily visitors. They are not
the least bit belligerent and almost beg
for raisins If the feeding station is
empty. We also have a male and fe-
male downy woodpecker which make
daily trips to the feeder
"At one time I counted 18 purple
flnches and IA females on the ground
and on the feeder. In the early morn
ing and at dusk the cardinals arrive.
The males spend a good deal of their
males concentrate on sunfioWer seeds.
THE birds we enjoy watching most
are pair of tufted titmice and the
little chickadeeS. They are certainly
comical opening sunfower seeds
Some of my other visitors include
starlings, one blue jay, two robins
(since March l5), mourning dove, song
sparrows, English sparrows and three
others I would like you to identify if
you will.
The latest arrivals are pair of coal
olack birds except the neck and head,
which are a light brown. They are
slightly smaller than mockingbird.
Another bird is slightly larger than
wren, has short tail, long bill, eats
mostly suet. and reminds one of hum
mingbird.
THE other bird is little larger than
wren. 1t has white band across
each wing 1t is solid grayish brown
above this white band, and the tail is
colored somewhat like a sparrow. 1t is
not fat but raher streamlined.
Il hope you can identify these three
from my description.
Last year pair of bluebirds tried
their best to get in our wren house, so
this year I have put up a bluebird
house, too. For the past week pair of
bluebirds have been in and out daily
inspecting it.
II wish to thank you again for the
pleasure you have given us.
Sincerely, WSP. K.
"P.S.-The black bird with the brown
neck and head was here today several
times. and was accompanied each time
by bird probably its mate The other
| bird was slightly smaller and was all
brown, except that its neck and head
were light shade of brown or tan. ]
am inclosing samples of my attempts at
photography through my living room
window"
The black bird with the brown head
| is the cowbird. The bird which reminds
our correspondent of a hummer is the
brown creeper. The one with the white
band across the wing is probably gold
| finch.
| this vicinity during the past five years
| than formerly.
Whatever one may think of the do
mestic habits of this bird, putting Its
! eggs in other birds nests, the creature
itself is beauty, and very interesting
| to watch.
They come freely to feeding stations
and eat peacefully enough with other
! feeders
Since this is the only black bird with
brown head it is easily picked out OF
the crowd. The female Is as described
in the postscript.
The photographs mentioned show
male and female purple hnches. jun
cos. mockingbird, tufted titmouse; ths
shots are excellent, and show what ma,
be done through window pane.