Evening star., 1947-02-26
This and That
By Charles Z. Trdce1UeH.
ARLINGTON, Va.

Dear Sir:
1--WE have a small farm in Lorton,
Va, where we spend all the time we
possibly can, even week ends in the
winter.
I'VE were there over this past week
end when the thermometer on the north
porch registered 2 degrees Fahrenheit
when my husband got up at 6 in the
morning to build the fire in the fireplace
our only source of heat in the cottage.
"On that coolest Of week ends we saw
a greater variety of birds than we have
ever seen except in warm weather. A
ruby kinglet stopped me dead
in my tracks as hurried, shivering,
from the well to the house. watched
it for two minutes before it wandered
off, apparently not bit afraid.
"A Carolina wren flew out from under
an old stump and gave me few un-
hurried moments to admire him. And
the cardinals of course-though had
never seen such flocks of them. They
were stunning, with the dark pine woods
as background. There were chickadees,
sociable little juncos-in droves-nut-
matches and woodpeckers. We even had
some breathless moments when wild
turkey hen crossed the road and zig
Jagged off into the safety of the woods.
'The biggest thrill, however was three
hermit thrushes that practically spent
the day with us as we worked at cut
ting down some trees and burning the
small branches. We had never seen
these birds before, and it took me an
hour finally to identify them. kept
studying Sparrows! When read the
description of the hermit thrush, with
it's unmistakable reddish brown tail
and the slow lifting of the tail as the
bird perched, I wondered that had
taken so long.
1--WE had an opportunity to admire
them from all angles. They were the
high point in a perfect week end. We
shall never forget the thrill they gave us.
Nov question-one of my books says
that these birds are rather common
here, that they breed as far south as
breed in the north, New England and
Canada. Are they common around
here? We have been here for five years
And I don't remember ever having
heard song as theirs is described, in
the spring.
L
can answer for us. Some bird has a
winter song that brings you up short
in the dead of winter for 1t sounds
exactly like the first three notes of the
white -throated sparrow. I have heard
1t from the marshy boggy place at the
foot of our driveway. 1t isn't frequent
I hear it on an average of once each
week end. But it rings out so loud and
clear that it Is startling. What can
1t be?
Very truly yours. A. B. B.
"P. S. Three years ago saw a pi-
leated woodpecker in our woods. I've
watched for it since without success"
In the spring the hermit thrush is
seen on an average from the last of
March to May 1. In the fall, from Oc-
tober 16 to November 20.
An exploring party one Christmas
|, time counted half a dozen of these
beautiful birds in Rock Greek Park.
There probably were at least that many
more unseen.
The hermit thrush, unlike its cousin,
the wood thrush, never comes close to
the habitations Of man. (Some may
think this shows rare Judgment on the
birds part)
The hermit thrush likes the deep
woods, where his sweet song may be
heard by venturesome persons. Unless
one has home in the forest, one is
not likely to hear this bird from his
own window.
A feature of the songs of both these
birds is that they are in harmonics.
The bird which our correspondent
thought might be the white -throated
sparrow probably was. These birds in
winter often make trials Of their spring
time songs.
AS for the pileated woodpecker, it is
not seen here too often, but several OF
them have been reported in recent years.