Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-16


visitors can find it.
The feeding of grain or bird food
is bit more of a problem since it
should be protected from snow and
rain. There should b. rim or
edging an inch or two high which
will keep the feed from being
wasted. There are many designs
for the building of feeding stations
which will have this feature.
Glassed-in feeders are most inter-
esting since then 1t is possible to
watch the birds. Feeders mounted
on the window ledge are especially
interesting and convenient, too. We
may add feed whenever the supply
runs low by .opening the window.
If the feeding station is located at
some distance from the house we
may find it a bit inconvenient to
wade through mud or snow to re-
plenish the food supply.
Another way to get around this
is to make trolley-type feeder that
can be mounted on a cable, one end
of which is attached to tree or
pole located some distance from the
house, the other end fastened to
the porch or a window frame. 1t
will save walking through mud or
snow and it is cat and squirrel
proof.
Each feeding station should have
receptacle filled with sand or grit
for the birds, along with the grain.
Birds must have grit in order to
digest food and, if the ground is
covered with snow, the normal
sources may be covered up. Ordi-
nary builders sand will do. It
should be coarse rather than the
smooth beach sand.
To provide water a large saucer
filled with warm water may be kept
in a liquid state for few hours
with a hot brick. A light cord run
to a small electrically heated poultry
.Eaterer would be the ideal setup.
= Greens, Cores, Peanuts, Crumbs.
Green food is hardly as important
here as it is in the Northern areas,
but nevertheless, such scraps as we
may have from the kitchen should
be placed where the~birds will have
a chance at them. Apple and pear
cores and pealings will please sew
eral kinds of birds. Celery tops and
pieces of lettuce may be placed on
"a shelf or tied to branch of the
tree. Peanuts and bread crumbs
can 60 on the feeder shelf of the
station.
Gardeners living in the suburbs
and farmers will find feeding
broader problem since it may include
some of the game birds. One device
applicable to such feeding may be
made by cutting burlap into large
squares-20 inches or so square.
The grain is poured into the center
of the burlap, which is then tied
by the corners. A cone of building
paper-cut it in half circles with an
10 to "a inch radius-Will protect the
grain from the weather. Tie these
to low-hanging limbs or large shrubs
with a stout cord. The bag should
be suspended so that it is Is to 10
inches above the ground. Small
sits-112 to 2 inches long depend
ing upon the size of grain-cut in
the bottom of the bag will let the
birds see what is inside and they
can peck through them. In case of
deep snow the bags should be raised
to keep them away from field mice.
Regularity Is a Main Factor.
Regular feeding is recommended
rather than spasmodic, since birds
quickly learn to come to a we'll
tended station. A station that is
seldom supplied with food will catch
only chance passer and much of
the fun gained from a well-visited
place will be missing. Our aim
sl1uhld be- to attract as many birds
as possible and keep them coming
In that way we will encourage the
bug-chasers to do their work in our
gardens, and all the while we are
enjoying them.
No doubt, some will ask whether
or not it is possible to keep the
English sparrows and starlings out
of the feeding station. Unfortu-
nately, the answer is no. They eat
about the same kinds of food that
the song birds do.