Evening star., 1948-02-24
This and That
By Charles E. Trdcepeu
ARLINGTON, Va.

Dear Sir:
Through your information and philosophy
I have learned to enjoy all the birds which
come to my feeding station-not just the pretty
ones.
when supplying the feeding station with
food, scatter handful or two of grain on
the ground, SO that when the gobbling, large
birds take possession of the station, the smaller
ones can peck from the earth.
This morning pair of cardinals, some blue
jays and sparrows feeding on the snow in the
early morning sunlight while a squirrel ate his
breakfast of sunf1ower seeds on the station,
made picture out of this world.
'One squirrel has figured out way to get
to the station via the roof and down a shutter
find it simpler to let him eat his fill-it takes
only about five mniutes-than to chase him
away. Then he leaves, and I put out more
for the birds.
II believe have the fattest blue jays in
existence. Beautiful. bold bluffers-I love em.
The starlings are grateful for anything sweet,
cooked fat meat scraps, cooked potato
"A mockingbird comes to my front window
IN the morning and chirps for raisinS. If I
don't have them out, he chirps in a very de-
manding way until he gets them.
Lately this glutton also comes to the feed
ing station at the back of the house and shares
in the food of the general flock. I have seen
him eat cooked potato But no other bird ever
shares his front window breakfast He has an
ldentlrcatlon mark on one wing "a protruding
feather) SO know it's the same bird.
Thirteen varieties have been seen at the
station this winter, all OF which have identified
except the latest comer-about robin size or a
little smaller: reddish sides on his breast and
grayish middle breast; head, throat and back,
black; little white on tips of wing and tail
Is it towhee, thrush, something else?
Editors Note-Towhee) Sincerely, r. D."
that man who wrote in castigating the song
sparrow.
E. M E. D. says:
How can any one, with even q spark Of
humanity, want or desire to kill our lovable
song sparrow?
I'VE usually think of the word humanity in
relation to mankind, but Webster's Collegiate
Dictionary gives one of its definitions as kind
feelings
These beautiful songsters, who send forth
their sweet lays during our cold winter season.
even while it is raining or showing, are surely
among our very best feathered friends, both
during our war-torn days and always.
Although we reside in an apartment house,
these lovely little people of the air enjoy many
meals on both our front and back windowsills
eating wild bird seeds. bread, ETC., and singing
between mouth (bilD fulls
Il sincerely hope and pray that this corre-
spondent of a few days ago, who despised our
friends, will reconsider and not take their
lives. They are God made and God given.
If this letter is too much of an outbreak,
please pardon me.
I'VE have enjoyed and profited by your good
advice for years. Sincerely" etc.
H. E. c. of Edinburg, Va, wants to know
what to do to sweeten the disposition of her
fighting Persian cat, which eats raw meat
Also, how to keep starlings and sparrows
from eating up the food placed out for a
cardinal.
Raw meat is natural cat food and has moth
ing at all to do with the disposition, one way
or another OF cat Some cats are born
fighters, others are more mild in temperament
This one does not catch birds Some cats are
more jealous in disposition than others. We
afraid this correspondent will have to be
tolerant of the pet.
Starlings like bread and other foods of that
nature, so If these are withheld cardinals and
others will have a better chance to get food
Starlings do not like sunnower seed. 50 this
should be used for the redbirds. Cardinals love
to eat at first and last light, SO that food put
out for them before dawn and just at dusk, is
very likely to find itself In their bills.