FEATHERED FRIENDS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 12

FEATHERED FRIENDS

A FKEE DELIGHT

AROUND THE ROCKS OR IN

THE GARDEN

(By Huka.) Many holiday makers who visit the beaches within a few miles of Wellington may now and again see birds that are not familiar to them, such as the bluo heron and the small penguins. Few people appear to/bo aware that these birds arc protected, and must not be molested. A few weeks ago some city people visited a beach not far from Wellington and accompanied by a dog wandered round the rocky coast. The dog came across two penguins that had taken up their abode' in a cleft of the cliff, where, for the last three years they havo reared their young. The old birds were so tame that they would come out on the rocks to , get a "spotty" thrown to them by any birdloving rock fisherman, and these two birds, with their many quaint actions, were worth watching for hours. But all was spoiled by that party and the dog, for one bird was caught and was being taken away when a rock fisherman • appealed for its release. . The answer was that it was being taken to the Zoo. The male adult of the party had tho bird wrapped up in a coat and appeared determined to keep it. The rock fisherman not only told' the party that the birds were protected, and anyone taking one away into captivity stood the risk of being heavily fined, but as a final appeal told the poacher that the birds had reared chicks this season; and asked how he would like to have his mate taken away from him and her children. The last appeal, to "the credit of the city man, told its tale, for without a word he took the little penguin back to its cleft in the rock.. Yet the harm was done, for an hour later there.it sat as far back in that cleft of rock as it could get) and declined to make its usual eager advance to xget the dainty piece of "spotty" as usual. That portion of the rocky coast hag lost some of its charm now for, the rock fisherman, as the birds have been so. alarmed by the unusual chasing that they have gone elsewhere. Why is it that man cannot allow these pretty, harmless native birds to abide in peace in their natural haunts, where they are more attractive and amusing than in any zoo, or dirty back yard? If the .city dwellers must have birds about their homes, let them plant a few berry-bearing trees in their gardens, and also erect a bird bath there. Then they will see and hear the birds in all their beauty of non-captivity. Within a hundred yards of Pirie street in Wellington there is such a place. It is only a small garden, but all sorts of birds flock there in winter and summer. During the last six weeks the birds have been, eager for their bath every day (the bath water must be clean each day) and to the joy of the owner five little wax-eyes came every day for three weeks. The song of this-little bird is a treat indeed, and the writer has sat within ton feet of the songster on many occasions of late and listened with amazement and delight ,to tho wonderful soft notes-that came from the throat of the morsel of feathers only a few feet away. Now just what birds como'down into this little garden? Sparrows by tho score—one that was almost all white was seen the other day. The old, birds during the nesting season bring their young ones with them, and it is very quaint to see the old birds stuffing the young ones with tho softened bread thrown out to them. Those young ones become just like little balloons of feathers and after they shut their eyes for a little nap until ready for more bread. Then a bright black-eyed thrush comes along looking for snails, and will stand within a v few yards, tap, tap, tapping, the snail* on the concrete path until its shell is broken. The black birds come in pairs looking for worms, and run about the lawn without showing any alarm, and the starlings drop down as though out of the sky in fivea and sixes to fight over the few bones* left especially for them. To Bee' a dozen starlings around a soup plate scolding one another, and snatching at the bone grabbed by a venturesome first-comer is more laughable than many comedy turns put on by man. Grey warblers, seen in pairs every now and again, are more shy, but soon become eager for a spray bath, as does the chaffinch. At the present time tho dainty little goldfinches are around-, some eighteen wero counted feeding on the seeds of fche cosmos -last week in this garden. During the, winter and early spring the wax-eyes come along in droves, but it is only when'tho winter is a severe one that tho yellowhammors frequent this garden. They come down for soaked bread and will remain within a few yards of the house if no noiso is made.- The green linnet's sharp clear note is often heard, but the bird is shy and seldom seen. The black and white fantails have not been seen for a season or two, but one came right into the kitchen two years ago. These little darting beauties are so tame that they fall easy prey to cats. Only three weeks ago a black and white fantail fluttered in and out of the pavilion of the Wellington Tennis Club during the whole time that some lady players wero having their afternoon tea. A little'sugared water or honey put in shallow tins up in the trees will bring the birds around, but if you wish to enjoy their movements, twitterings, and song, you must remain absolutely quiet. It is not the sight of man oxwoman that.scares the birds away, but the',movement of a hand or hoad. If you succeed in attracting the birds to your big or small garden, you will realise what you have missed in the past and just why birds are so wonderful in their natural haunts.