Page:How to Have Bird Neighbors.pdf/91

 to suet; but the peanuts were a puzzle to them. They just pecked into the shell and tried to eat that. Usually, before the babies arrived, the father came and perched on some high point and looked all around. If all was to his liking, he sounded his rattling tattoo. The babies always came so promptly that it was evident he had hidden them somewhere near, probably with orders to await his signal before venturing farther.

NEAR THE NEST TREE WAS A BIG STONE WHICH THE REDHEADED WOODPECKER USED AS A PERCH

I think the brown thrasher must have had a large family; he used to tear off pieces of bread and carry