Evening star., 1949-03-17
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce,0eH

"TAKOMA PARK, Md.
Dear Sir:
This seems to be the titmouse year.
have seen and heard more of these fine little
ones during the past three months than in
all the 10 years I have been out here.
I'VE always have had some of them. and
nice birds they always are. but now we have
them by the dozens. Titmice fly in and out.
and every time look out the window I see
two or three of them.
Il have always valued this bird. for his
appearance and manners. I also like any
friend of the chickadee, and the titmouse
is one of his favorites.
Can 1t be possible that each species of
bird grows and wanes. as nations do?
And if so, what makes it happen?
with best regards. am
Very truly yours, S. D."
The ttmouse, the chickadee and the downy
woodpecker make up one of our best bird
groups.
1t is a group merely by association. For
some reason. perhaps because they all are
little they like to fly and eat together.
Often the chickadee is seen with the nut
hatch, too, another favorite of our suburban
areas
The habits of these little fellows are not
alike. but they do seem to enjoy each others
company.
The nuthatch and downy woodpecker often
are together on tree trunk. each trying to
get food in its own way.
- Ek&
Since it is almost impossible to take q
real bird census (although it often is tried)
and since birds have way of flying in and
out of a territory, without making any an
nouncements or consulting anybody, it can
not be definitely said that any one species
wakes and wanes like nation.
Sampling processes. in imitation Of the
polls, cannot be accepted as being accurate.
when it comes to bird life.
What one sees may be equally at variance
with the truth, since one neighborhood will
have English sparrows. let us say, while
another not too far away will have none.
Il 4
Each bird group, however, has its ups
and downs. just as nations do. There can
be little question of that.
Feeding conditions vary, from year to
year, as do storm conditions. and the reac
tions of human beings. It Is quite possible
for indicative human being to kill many
birds, so that in any given neighborhood
there may be dearth of them for time.
A hawk. flying over an area persistently,
may cause all the small birds to fly away,
and stay away. Bird friends in the neigh
DOTQOOQ may 1eel CQdL SOL1eCfllIg mas lldp-
pened to the birds" and there has. of course.
but it is not as bad as they think. Things
seldom are, we are told by optimists. 1t is
a good idea to keep in mind, in regard to
our bird friends, when some one says that
DDT is killing them off.
Even if DDT finally has that result. it
would take a very long time to do 1t, and
equally it would require many years before
some persons admitted it.
Probably sheer fortune accounts. as much
as anything, for good titmouSe year.
There is tide In the affairs OF mem
and also in those of birds.
One species may find conditions exactly to
its liking one year, two years three years;
this will enable the species to thrive.
The fourth year will see many more OF these
birds, then, enough more than formerly SO
that the observer feels that it is great
year for, let us say, titnice.
The titmouse is one of our best. He Is
thoroughly at home on the small place, liking
many of the seeds put out in general bird
seed mixtures He likes little privacy in
eating but seldom flies very far from. the
place he seizes seed.
His saucy demeanor, with his bluejay-like
crest, and his happy ways. make him fit
companion for the chickadee, widely known
as cheerful The two often are seen in COM
pany. They make as fine a pair as the
home bird feeding station knows.