Evening star., 1947-04-19
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TraceUeU.
"CARVEL ROAD.

'Dear Sir:
your column is the first thing I read
every evening.
"I can report to you that since we
moved to Westnloreland Hills, Md, to
house which is next to the pine woods
I have had rose-breasted nuthatch as
a daily visitor, sometimes as many as
four or five times. I put suet on the
pine trees and they love it.
1.-The myrtle warblers are also plentiful
here, and they like the suet as much as
the nuthatch and the downy wood
pecker. The cardinals, the chickadees
and the juncos like the sunfoWer seed,
as also do the blue jays.
For about two weeks in March the
handsome fox sparrows came regularly
and they often seemed to like to feed
in the late evening. I also had the
thrill of seeing the ruby-crowned and
golden crowned kinglets.
after moving to this region, have
only seen the White-throated nuthatch
once, and have not seen any purple
finch, although both were plentiful at
our home in Woodacres, Md. which was
surrounded by oak trees. Would that
explain it?
X
To-day from my porch I saw and
heard tiny warbler with light colored
breast and no bright markings. Could
it be the Parula warbler? 1t was on a
pine tree, and it was very quick and
graceful. The smallest warbler I have
ever seen.
Then later this morning saw in the
thicket beyond our house a bird which
at first I thought was robin only it
acted differently. I got my field glasses,
and I could see very clearly its mark
ings of a black head and throat and
then white breast and white marks on
the wings. Also sides of breaststhe red
brown of a robin.
ST looked it up, and feel sure it was
the toWhee. I had never seen one be-
fore. Later I saw it walk out Of a
thicket again. grab something in its
beak, and then scurry back to the
underbrush. I wish I knew what its
song sounds like.
"Other birds which 7 have seen this
winter are the creeper, the white
throated sparrow, the song sparrow, the
golden shafted flicker, the titmouse.
grackle, juncos I have seen bluebirds
in a thicket near stream, but they
have not come to my feeding station.
-" have experimental in melting suet
and mixing the seeds into it. but I find
that the birds much prefer the plain
suet 7 sometimes put out grape fruit
seed. and find that it disappears but
perhaps 1t is taken by the squirrels.
after reading your suggestions, will
save my melon seeds this summer, and I
plan to plant lot of sunf1owers.
Yours sincerely, NJ G. E."
Lack of white breasted nuthatches
one place is not due to different trees.
Nuthatches take all trees in their
stride, which is upside down, mostly.
The chances are that the birds simply
do not come to one vicinity.
Not every yard can~haVe every bird
all the time.
In our own. for instance, We have
had bluebirds but one spring, and then
only for day.
That day makes wonderful memory
Birds come and go, much as people.
They are real transients. They are here
today, gone tomorrow. The happy thing
is when they come back on the day
after ttati
AS for the towhee, he is truly one of
the magnificent ones.
One winter we had beautiful speci-
men at the feeding station just outside
the dining room windows.
There we had a grandstand seat, and
never tired of watching this fellow. At
first he was timid, and tended to keep
the other birds out, but after awhile he
got the feel of feeding station, and ate
away with the rest.
The call note of the bird is sharp
nasal "tow-hee," from which it gets its
name. The song says, to various listen
ers. either Drink your teeeee," or
Sweet bird, siiiiiiing!" The last syllable
Is given with tremolo effect.