File:How to have bird neighbors (1917) (14564192498).jpg

Identifier: howtohavebirdnei00patt (find matches)
Title: How to have bird neighbors
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Patteson, S. Louise (Susanna Louise), 1853-1922
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Boston, New York (etc.) D.C. Heath and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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r, as plainly asa person can say it. Of course, we never went near enough to any birdsnest to frighten the brooding birds, nor did we staylong enough to keep the parents from feeding theiryoung. We always found a convenient place fiftyfeet or more away, and through our field glasseswatched the birds without annoying them. I had long known the wood thrush by his yodelingsong. It usually came out of the thickets and tanglesin the ravine back of our place, so the singer couldnot easily be seen. At sunrise and sunset, the musicof the thrushes, singing and answering one another,was like bells calling to prayer. From early Mayuntil mid-July I always wanted to be out morningsand evenings to attend the matins and the vespersof the wood thrushes. Mrs. Wood Thrush tried hard to hide her nest; itwas completely surrounded by thornbushes. Wit-a-wit-a-wit, said her mate as we went near; thenhe came out of his hiding place. He had a brownback and a white and brown speckled front just like THE BOY 51
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MRS. WOOD THRUSH ON HER NEST Mrs. Wood Thrush, who sat serene on her nest allthis time. She was trusting in something to pro-tect her fully; whether it was her brave companion,or those bushes bristling with thorns that surroundedher nest, I do not know. Maybe she thought wedidnt see her at all. We pretended not to see her. Always, when I find a nest, I turn away and tryto keep the birds from knowing they have been dis-covered. I look out of the corners of my eyes, andgo away humming a tune. After a while I re-turn and walk near by, again singing the same tune. 52 HOW TO HAVE BIRD NEIGHBORS I do this as many times as I can during a day ortwo. Before long the birds seem to know that theperson who comes singing that tune has never harmedthem. They remain quiet when I am near, and thisaffords opportunity to observe them more closely. Some bluejays were flitting about. Bluejays areeverywhere, and at all times of the year. The blue-jay is that big blue and white bird with handsomecrest. In

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