MY BIRD RESTAURANT 



Pearl E. Underwood, Hartland 



Five or six years ago I began to feed the birds in winter. 

 First I hung out a piece of suet to attract them, then a few 

 crumbs and seeds were scattered about on the ground, next 

 a shelf was attached to the piazza post where we placed a 

 dish filled with seeds, nuts, crumbs and different kinds of 

 cereals. I became interested in the book, "How to Attract 

 and Protect Wild Birds," by Martin Hieseman, and from it 

 received many ideas in improving and enlarging my bird res- 

 taurant. We now have a long, broad shelf fastened to the 

 side of our piazza, placed where we can reach it from the 

 doorway of the house. A branch of a dead tree is nailed to 

 the edge of the shelf and here the suet is hung. At one end 

 of the shelf a box about a foot square is placed, one end of 

 which is open so the birds may enter ; the top and one side 

 have glass to lighten it within. 



Here the seed, crumbs and other food are safe from the 

 snow and sleet of winter, and are kept dry and unhurt by 

 the heavy rains. At the opposite end of the shelf a piece of 

 wire netting is fastened to protect its being approached by 

 those for whom the food is not intended. One night, how- 

 ever, I was awakened by a noise which suggested burglars, 

 but in the dim moonlight I could see a dog walking about 

 below the place where the shelf is fastened. It was morning 

 before I could wholly solve the mystery of my midnight 

 marauder, or learn the havoc which he had wrought — then I 

 found the birds' branch on the ground and the suet was 

 wholly eaten off. I had not really entertained an angel una- 

 wares, but had unintentionally given a hungry dog a good 

 meal which he had fully appreciated. Several times a squir- 

 rel has come to taste the suet and to carry away a few nuts; 

 aside from these two visitors, my birds have been safe. 



Here I will say a good word for my cat. He may be an 

 exceptional one, but he is so well trained and so well fed 

 that he rarely catches a bird at any season of the year ; the 

 winter birds especially he knows are not for him. He enjoys 

 watching them from the window, and if at times his eyes have 



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