Evening star., 1947-02-15
This and That
By Charles E. Trace1Uell.
"WHITEFIELD, N. II.

Dear Sir:
Handsome is as handsome does,'"
whether man or birds.
$50, perhaps, some Of your readers
would like to know how does the hand
some evening grosbeak.
II should know. I seem to be the
sole support of gang-yes, gang-of Is
grosbeaks, male and female.
II have thought the writers of bird
books entirely too epithetical against
cowbirdS, but on the subject of the eve
ming grosbeaks, lack words.
There just aren't enough epithets.
Noisy, quarrelsome selfish, pusilanimous,
fghtenest, dirty and mean-that's the
grosbeak.
"One male will hold the entire VIM
dowsill against all corners, too busy fight
ing to get bite himself, but seeing to
it that no other bird does either.
zone bird will take a seed, but before
he can shuck it, another will grab one
end of it, and since neither will give in,
they fly of-the birds firmly attached
to but a single seed.
"They fill the feeder and all the sur
rounding territory with their shucks.
They arrive at dawn and murder
sleep.
I'm noise, they outdo flock of fedg-
ling sparrows threefold The smaller
birds simply fade away when these
gangsters appear.
"A jay bird is gentle and most per-
feet knight compared to a grosbeak.
Nor have they any decent feeling. One
somehow got into screened porch, and
although given every opportunity for
escape, did not have brains enough.
I'm compassion, I caught it by hand,
and, in approved fashion, turned it on
its back to quiet it's f1uttering.
And then the darned bird lifted its
head and bit me. and mean bit.
That groSbeak can draw blood.
They racket around all morning but
at 2:30 in the afternoon they call it
day, and I, good riddance'
But the whole Is of thenl-au yellow
and white and black on the snow, are
sight to see, and when they fly up into
the elm tree and hang like golden fruit
against blue and cloudless sky-wen,
there is nothing to do but order more
sunfower seed.
"Au Gods chillun got wings.
Sincerely, VT. B."
Grosbeaks in New Hampshire must be
somewhat different from those which
came here last winter in such numbers.
Certainly no such reports of rowdy
behavior were sent in to this column by
local observers.
Probably our local watchers were so
intrigued by the beauty of the newcom-
ers, not seen here for many years, that
they forgot to report on the actions of
the birds.
"A jaybird is gentle and most perfect
knight compared to q grosbeak."
We like that line, particularly because
1t plays up one of our favorites.
You see, the blue jay is, at times, a
knight in feathers.
He warns smaller birds of the ap-
proach of hawks, and often will lead the
attack against maurauding animals.
He even has been known to rescue
young sparrows in distress, and he is al
ways hiding bits of food for other
species.
Whether he means it or not, his good
deeds are responsible for much help to
other species. Despite the outcry against
him by some, he remains as American
bird as there is.
Grosbeaks and cardinals are two who
must be watched when held in the hand.
They are wild birds in the real sense.
Even when injured they struggle SO that
it is difficult to aid them. Both of these
birds can deliver vicious pecks. so the
eyes should be guarded when handling
them,