Evening star., 1948-03-13
This and That
By Charles E. TraceWell
ATTDET AEn

"Dear Sir:
II live in nearby Maryland. very close to
nature, and your column has guided me many
times in my observations, and want to thank
you. !, -mt 'n9T4 ~'t'ei'1 ss.A
II agree with you that the naming of all
birds and worrying about their names Is un-
necessary. The enjoyment Of the birds is the
main thing. ,rl. ~. ..sa-.
"om place is close to the woods
-Four years ago a devastating fire in the
early fall chased all the birds away This
year Is the first year 7 can say, They're back
Each winter have tried to coax them to
my feeding station, with moderate success
This year q few came before the first snow.
II made a platform on the lawn, and when
a snowstorm covered the boards put out an
upside-down chicken crate. =
"The bottom served as roof I put inside
some boards and sprinkled the feed on them.
I'm less than no time the birds came in
droves cardinals, blue jays, juncos, some spar
rows and even few starlings.
Some days it was riot Of color all day
long, but especially toward evening. The
juncos were in the crate before dawn, almost.
They all hoped in and out through the
slaves and never before had so much success.
my 90-year-old mother watched the birds
by the hour.
'T used for feed only chicken mash, some
scratchfeed, and some dogmeal.
Every afternoon while the snow was on the
ground large bird with the face Of an owl and
a Hght-gray body would perch on the branch
Of persimmon tree above the feeder and just
watch.
"The birds did not fly away, they just forgot
him while they fought and hoped and skipped
"It has been lot Of fun, and the chicken
crate idea is good one for the farm woman
who loves birds.
Sincerely yours, M; K"
Chicken crates and orange crates both make
good bird feeding stations.
No one who has such materials on hand
need 60 to either the trouble or expense of
making a feeding place for the wintering
songsters.
Each does a good job in serving up food to
the birds.
Each may be cast aside when it wears out.
And above all, the birds take to them readily,
because they can see through them.
This point is not always taken into con-
sideration by the ardent bird lover who makes
for himself fancy feeder, complete with roof,
etc.
Sometimes it takes weeks for the birds to
convince themselves that the thing is not some
sort OF trap.
Bird trapping is very old: even the hundred
years or so in which 1t has gone out of style
have not been enough to make the wild birds
forget.
Several crates may be placed together, in
the form of court, in which the happy birds
may eat very comfortably.
r X
FIRST STREET.
Dear Sir
This afternoon my husband and I took a
walk through Soldiers Home grounds and saw
many signs OF spring.
I'VE heard an orchard oriole. Later along
the way we spotted two robins.
"And, of course, on the way home we saw a
rather chilly looking mockingbird
1--WE certainly do enjoy reading your columns.
have clipped many of them and have pasted
them in my nature scrapbook.
"It will be coming in handy for our Girl
Scout troop at the church.
Sincerely, NJ s.
Oficially, spring is only few days away.
Actually, the cardinals have been singing
about it for weeks.
The beautiful fox sparrows have limited at
spring as they scratched in the leaves, and the
gorgeous purple fnches have come and gone
and where they have been, spring is not far
behind
Let us forget, for few moments, the cruelty
and stubbornness in the heart of man. Let us
leave him to his playthings. the atom bombs
and the vials of lethal cultures.
Let us go back to the animal creation, and
live, if we can, with the birds and the furred
creatures, who have in their hearts and minds
at this time one sole thoughEsprins beautiful
springi