Evening star., 1947-11-13
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrnceWeH
- 4 i tLCC WCtL
"TAKOMA PARK.

Dear Sir:
"Just last week established feeding station,
as you have suggested, and have had an i'm
mediate response.
"The food was not out an hour until the
birds began to fly in, until by the end of the
day there were scores of them
ut is seldom that anything has pleased me
more than this and want to thank you per-
sonally and The Star, for otherwise I would
not have this happiness
DO you want to know the bird that pleases
me most?
"It is the blue Jay.
II love them all but this Is the best one.
according to nv way of thinking.
THAT pose of his. as he squawks, Is priceless.
It Is the sort of thing has to see to believe.
"And his coloring is fine. I took art study for
several years although have never done much
with it and think know beauty when see it..
"The fay is beauty He amuses me, and
believe he entertains the other birds, too for
have never seen him hurt them, and they
all stand around, at a respectful distance. and
watch him. Just as if he were some sort OF
performer for their benefit.
Thanking you again, I am
Sincerely, E. D. S. R."
The attitude toward Americas blue jay has
undergone a turn for the better in the last
10 years.
Before that jays were looked down on by
MANY people, They were classed with common
sparroWS nulsances.
Today all that is changed at least among
air-minded people.
It Is seen that the jay not only is true son
of America one with the cardinal and mocker.
one with Daniel Boone and pumpkin pie but
also an entertaining, pleasing, beautiful and in
teresting creature.
The old idea that this bird was an egg eater
and killer of other birds is seen to have been
greatly exaggerated.
Now and then one specimen, here or there,
does succumb to these bad practices. But at
the same time so does the house wren and
many another of the better" birds; at the same
time the glistening grackle is slaughterlng hum
dreds of other young birds but little is said
about that.
The smear campaign against the jay got
under way with Audubon, himself.
His famous plate, showing jay with drip
ping egg in its claws, caused many persons In
terested in birdlife to think no further
They would not even look for themselves.
Today our attitude on this, as on some other
ma alters, is much better.
Just as we are less hypocritical. as people,
so we believe in using our eyes more, and be-
lieving what we see.
We do not permit some one long gone to tell
us. by words or pictures. what we must think
Our correspondent, like many another person
in recent years, has looked for himself, and seen
that the jay is a fine bird.
Nothing p!eases many a suburban bird
watcher more than the morning influx OF the
band of blue jays, usually father and mother
Jay and three or four sons and daughters.
The birds create considerable stir at the feed
ing station, when they fly in. Other species stay
away, or at some little distance, but they are
not afraid of them, just respectful, on account
of the size diferential.
This matter of size, among the birds and
beasts, counts for a great deal The larger
the creature, the more respect it gets from
others Traces of it may still be seen among
human beings too.
The jays never stay for long. They are so full
of life that shortly they are on their way. From
time to time, they may come back, but never
remain more than few minutes at time.
It's smart bird that knows not to outstay
ffs ueIcoma