284 



Bird - Lore 



by a well-known sportsman, who is 

 thoroughly conversant with this bird and 

 who was present when a shipment was 

 turned loose several years ago in an 

 attempt to acclimatize it. W. F. Burton, 

 however, expresses grave doubts regarding 

 the reported existence of Capercaillie at 

 Pitt Meadows as this bird only frequents 

 the highest peaks and the fir trees. — J. R. 

 Anderson, Victoria, B. C. 



Record of a Feeding Station 



On September 10, 19 18 I set out to 

 select a spot for a bird feeding-station. 

 Two things were taken into consideration 

 before the final spot was chosen. It would 

 be necessary to visit the feeder almost daily, 

 so it would be a great convenience if 1 

 could find a suitable place near my home. 

 Cobb's Hill was selected, and a spot in the 

 'Dingle,' in the center of a small patch of 

 trees, sheltered on the south by a bank 

 and by trees on the other sides, was thought 

 to be the most suitable. Previous to this 

 time Pheasants, Hairy and Downy Wood- 

 peckers, Tree Sparrows, Juncos, White- 

 breasted Nuthatches and Chickadees had 

 been seen here in small numbers and I 

 hoped to attract a few of these species. 



From a neighboring field I procured 

 some cornstalks which I piled together in 

 the form of a tepee with a large opening in 

 front and a small one in back. I then placed 

 some suet in the crevices of the trees and 

 scattered some small pieces on the ground. 

 Next some mountain ash berries, stag- 

 horn sumac, wild grapes and apples were 

 placed in the trees and bread crumbs were 

 scattered on the ground. When I arrived 

 the following day most of the suet on the 

 ground was gone and that in the trees 

 had small holes in it where the birds had 

 pe< kc<l it. Soon a Chickadee lit near some 

 suet on the apple tree in front and began 

 feeding and then a Catbird was noticed 

 feeding on I lu- grapes in the tepee. Pres- 

 ently a chipmunk came from a crevice 

 in the rocks and commenced eating t lie 

 remainder of the suet that was on the 

 ground, so thereafter the suet was tied to 

 the trees; later a Crow was seen flying 



from the feeder with a large piece in his 

 bill. I now nailed some quarter-inch wire 

 mesh on a board, bent over the sides and 

 top and placed the suet inside. A food-tray 

 and an automatic feeder were added later 

 and the place began to assume the appear- 

 ance of a feeding-station. 



During the winter I tried continually 

 for pictures, but as the trees were so thick, 

 the light was very poor and the results 

 were not very satisfactory. 



A Great Blue Heron was seen in the trees 

 above the feeder on January 13. As the 

 winter was a rather open one, he may have 

 stayed in a near-by swamp, but he was 

 not observed after the above date. 

 Pheasants were seen all around the place 

 but none were seen feeding. Tree Sparrows 

 were noticed occasionally near the feeder 

 but "none were observed to feed. Chick- 

 adees came to my hand for food first on 

 November n, and since then I have had no 

 difficulty in getting them to do it whenever 

 I attempt to. 



The following is a list of the foods 

 supplied and the birds observed feeding on 

 them. The birds marked with an asterisk 

 stayed all winter. 



Suet.— Hairy Woodpecker,* Downy 

 Woodpecker,* Crow,* Slate-coloredjunco.* 

 Fox Sparrow, Catbird, Brown Creeper, 

 White-breasted Nuthatch,* Black-capped 

 Chickadee,* Golden-crowned Kinglet. 



Hemp Seed. — White-breasted Nuthatch, 

 Black-capped Chickadee. 



Millet Seed. — White - breasted Nut- 

 hatch, Black-capped Chickadee. 



Bread Crumbs. — Song Sparrow,* Black 

 capped Chickadee. 



Sunflower Seed. — Downy Woodpecker. 

 Slate-colored Junco, White-breasted Nut 

 hatch, Black-capped Chickadee. 



Oats. — Slate-colored Junco. 



Wild Grape.— Catbird, Robin. 



Sumac. — Hairy Woodpecker, Downy 

 Woodpecker, Catbird, Brown Thrasher, 

 Brown Creeper, Black-capped Chickadee. 



The past winter, 1919-20. I continued 

 the feeder and found, in addition to the 

 above, the following list. 



Hemp Seed. — Tree Sparrow, Slate- 

 colored Junco. 



