Evening star., 1948-06-23
This and That
By Charles E. Trace1UeH
"MOIINT PATNTEp Nh

MOUNI RAINIER, Md
Dear Sir
Sunday before last was very wet after much
rain, and for nothing else to do in the after
noon I strolled back of Mount Rainier High
School, found dry seat and sat quietly. There
was no one else in sight. Before long I was
much entertained by many varieties of birds,
such as never supposed were around place
like this as I had never seen them before
there.
First within no more than feet q pair
OF thrushes drown above with black Speckled
breasts started feeding, but noticed one who
1 presume was the male going to town on
something and when the other bird came near
him he ran towards it as if to keep it away.
but each time she would come back until the
last time when she started coming near him,
he ran like tightening towards her and liked
to stabbed her with his bill; then she must
have understood because she kept her distance
from then on while he was feeding, but later
they new away more or less together The
question was why does he act that way?
- -
The second sight was of a bird about so
feet away feeding on the ground
He looked about the size of q robin, but
not so fat around the breast. To discover
more tried walking towards him until he
flew away But that is the point.
Flying away from me, he showed a round
white patch about the size of a quarter on
his rear right between his wings. When his
wings were folded you couldn't see it-only in
flight and from the rear.
What IN the world kind of bird was this,
can you tell?
His color was the usual dull color, nothing
to attract attention to his plumage until he
feW away. I think I saw him again last Sun
day but from a much greater distance.
Also saw red-winged blackbird, cardinal
and others. Something, however. few by me
so fast I didn't have time to rightly know if
Nyoe @,a1 Mt
very bright vermillion. Much brighter than
the cardinal, think.
Yours very truly, R. Won B."
4 -
This last bird probably was a scarlet tanager.
The bird showing a round white patch
when 1t few may have been flicker.
The "thrushes" spoken OF above might have
been thrashers, which are brown above and
speckled beneath, and so much resemble wood
thrushes that they are sometimes spoken of
as large thrushes.'
Wood thrushes are mild in disposition, and
seldom indulge in such spleen toward each
other, but the thrashers may do it.
Cardinals and others often show umbrage
at feeding time, and will not permit the female
to eat with them except at nesting time.
"LoRToN, Va.
Dear Sir:
I'VE have had bird occupants of our Star
box each year but this time they seem a little
larger and are the fghting-est' variety
When the men 60 for the paper the birds
fly frantically about, make swoops at the faces
or backs Of heads with no fear whatever, ap-
parently.
"Other years the parent pair would be con-
tent to perch on wires above until the in
truder left, but they really are in dither this
year about the great creatures that interfere,
to their minds, with their privacy.
They are something like the others, show
ing blue as they fly. Today pathetically and
bravely they have erected stiff barricade Of
straw at the entrance as If to prevent the
newspaper from being put on their property
to endanger their young. Such spirit in such
tiny bodies! Aren't they wonderful?
Very truly, M. T. NJ"
Maybe blue jays have replaced bluebirdS, In
this case.
The jay is no easy fellow to get along with
at nesting time.
He, like the mockingbird, will fly bravely
directly at any intruder. including man.
The jay is an expert bomb diver striking
the enemy on back or head.