Evening star., 1947-03-25
This and That
Bu Charles E. TrdceUeN
"HARPERS FERRY, w. Va.

Lear Slr.
II was very much interested in the let
ter from A. A. B. Of Arlington, Va, about
seeing a hermit thrush recently at a
farm in Lorton. On the day of the heavy
snow we were surprised to find hermit
thrush in the old Christmas greens we
had piled near our feeding station. We
had considerable difdculty identifying
him, partly because we were so convinc-
ingly assured by the books that he never
came close to houses.
Since then he has come to the shell
tered spot just outside our windows each
day. He does not join the other birds
at the trays, but frequently dives into
the thickly berried cedar cuttings, or
perches in the old poke bushes while he
relishes the dried berries.
This morning we were astonished to
see a second-but paler. We took 1t
either to be a female or an immature
male. And few minutes later, while
the pair was still in sight, third dis
tinctly marked bird flew from low
shrub onto the ground below the win
dow, and ran through the busily scratch
ing flock of white -throated sparrows
and juncos to the cedar cuttings. Who
says hermit thrushes never come close
to the habitations of man?
very sincerely, M. l.. M"
X X X
This is another example of something
this column has always preached, that
in watching birds the observer must use
his own eyes, and be willing to believe
what they tell him.
Hermit thrushes are supposed to live
in deep forests, and that is where most
of them do live, but now and then one
or two of them will come in closer.
If you see a hermit thrush around
your dwelling, be willing to believe it is
a hermit thrush, and not something else
Just because "the books" say something
else
It will remain true for most of these
beautiful birds, however. There are prob
ably a dozen of them around Washing
ton every winter, but most Of us will
never see one unless we prowl through
Rock Greek Park.
In the Civil War days there were
forests closer in to the city, and there
were many more hermit thrushes. In
those days, even the wood thrush did
not come to town as much as he does
today. The hermit was real hermit
then. Walt Whitman, the poet, spent
many hours leaning and inviting his
soul" as he watched the local birds.
The hermit thrush was favorite Of
his, as it would be of most bird lovers
if they could see enough of it,
A true recluse, this bird may be driven
into bird feeding stations by intense cold,
and deep SHOWS covering up much OF
the berries in the woods.
If you see a bird in deep snow in the
city or suburbs which you take to be
some sort of thrush, the chances are-if
YOU are not mistaking a fox sparrow
that it is a hermit
The wood thrush does not come here
until some time in April, usually toward
the end of the month.
There is some chance that in time the
hermit thrush may decide to emulate
its cousin, the wood thrush, and give up
the deep forests for the suburban areas.
The modern fashion Of keeping as
many trees as possible will help.
Berried shrubs are good to plant in
suburban places, and they make sure
that wintering birds will have some
thing to eat.
We know one place where poke berries
are permitted to grow as the birds plant
them. Two fine specimens came up at
the front of the house among the ever
green's, and all fall furnished the birds
food
1t would even be good thing for
householders to purchase some of these
plants, and other coarse country shrubs
with berries. just to give the visiting
birds good food when they need it most.
Such things enliven staid formal
foundation paintings. 1t is only the
too-meticulous neat person who will find
them offensive. Keeping yard too neat
is bad policy. Nature is not neat, but
she Is wise, and wisdom is always more
than neatneSs.