Evening star., 1950-01-25
This and That
By Charles E. TraceweH
BLACKSTONE ROAD.

Dear Sir:
"a little bird has been coming to my feed
ing tray that have never seen before and
that can't find in my two bird books.
"Its small, not much larger than wren
and marked on the breast like song
sparrow.
"It is gray like a junco with white on
the sides of the tail, but 1t is yellow on
the sides of the breast and has rust spot
on the rump and flies like a goldfnch.
II first noticed these birds on large
Chinese elm tree where they hoped side
ways along branches that other birds tried
to get to. but couldn't because they were
too heavy for the small branches.
These birds come to our feeding trays
along with the mockingbirds, cardinals
chipping sparrows and the inevitable star
lings.
II shall be very interested to know what
Is the little stranger in our midst.
Sincerely yours, MS. B. H."
"It flies like goldfinch--"
Therefore, it probably is a goldfinch!
This small fellow fools many, his dress Is
different at different times of the year.
The wild canary hops sideways on
branches This is favorite trick OF his
done on fragile boughs that would not sup
port any other songster.
Just what the exact weight of the gold
finch is we do not know. but probably It
isn't more than quarter of an ounce.
Which is not very heavy!
It is because of this lightness that the
goldfinch hangs onto thistles and other ten
der things, which. though they may bend.
will not break with him.
The Cedar waxwings also move sideways
on branches, as our correspondent describes.
bl,t this one has a crest, and our corre-
spondent would have seen 1t.
So let, us settle for goldfnches. and go
on to tell how the bird is different IN ap-
pearance at various times.
The adult male in summer is pure lemon
or canary yellow, with wings and tail black.
with edges white. The bill is orange, tipped
with black.
The adult female in summer is gray or
brown above, with wings and tail blackish,
with white, under parts gray, tinged with
yellow.
The male in winter is similar to the adult
female, but with wings and tail deeper
black, and with the white markings more
conspicuous.
The female in winter is much like herself
in summer, except that she is broWner. with
more cinnamon color all over.
This leaves the "rust spot on the run1p"
in our correspondents description. This
sounds as If 1t might be titmouse, but
apparently it isn't.
The goldhnch is very fine little bird, one
to watch most of the year.
He is very fond OF the trumpet vine.
Any old tree is the better for having the
trumpet flower on it.
Not only do the big flowers attract hum
mingbirds in summer, but at other times
of the year the seeds draw the wild canarieS.
It is sight. indeed. to watch the graceful
canaries swing and sway on the vine.
Thistle seeds and others will be cut per-
fectly, the meat extracted, and the case
dropped.
The seeds appear whole. but inspection
with magnifying glass will show them
empty!
The goldfnch loves the ragweed seed. BY
eating it he benefits mankind. Several of
the birds will fly onto the same branch.
Their combined weight while not much, is
enough to bear the branch down. Then
they make picturesque sight, as they go
down, down with the branch, their little
heads touching the ground. The birds still
hold on. not giving up for second, and
usually manage to right themselves 1t is
this way of eating that makes them excep-
tionally interesting.
The goldfinch is a good bird, and few
who get to know it find any other more in
terestins Like the song sparrow, 1t in
creaseS its friends every year. Many per-
sons who see a song sparrow for the first
time do not realize that it is an exceptional
bird but 1t is. Not all birds have had as
many books written about them. nor are
there many birds whose songs have been
charted to the number of 1000 variations.
It is well to sing of bluebirds and redbirds.
but also good not TO forget wild canaries and
song sparrows.