J. Lewis Bonhote

“ As soon as the young are hatched the song ceases, and a harsh croak is the only sound emitted as he watches us passing near his nest. One brood only is reared, and then they seem to disappear from our “ken.” Shy and silent birds, always keeping to the thick cover, they spend a few 40 weeks quietly, feeding on the abundance of insects provided at this time of year, and then when the moult is over and they are strengthened for their journey, they leave us for their sunny winter home in Africa, while we remain behind to cherish, amidst gales and rain, the memories of those glad spring nights. ”

“ Towards September they become restless and slowly move southwards, the majority quitting our shores for warmer climates; their place is, however, soon taken by wanderers from farther north that stay with us, braving our winter gales. They are graceful little birds, running about the fields rather like a Wagtail, picking up an insect from a blade of grass, or jumping up in the air and catching a fly as it hurries along in the genial warmth of a summer’s day. ”

“ Our friends, however, do not all follow the laws of migration; some do not leave the neighbourhood of their home unless driven away by stronger rivals. And so it happens that year by year, as winter relaxes its grasp, we can see our orange-billed friend on his accustomed perch in hedge or bush singing away in full consciousness that his own power has earned him the right to do so, and quite prepared to defend it again and again, till in course of time he is ousted by another minstrel, who reigns in his stead by the law that “might is right.” ”

“ No one who has been along the shore in winter can have failed to notice the large flocks of black-and-white birds—Sea Pies as they are often called—sitting on a sand-spit and, like Canute of old, defying the tide. There they sit, till, when the water is just about to touch their feathers, 311 they all rise as though with one mind, and shrieking out their shrill call as they go, pass along to the next promontory which will afford them dry foothold for a few minutes longer. ”

“ Although he may probably build his nest quite close to our house, yet the Missel Thrush is always wild and shy, and is rarely seen except as he flies over the garden uttering his unmistakable note, or as he sits on the topmost branch of some tall tree and sings his love-song to his mate below. ”

“ The nest is a very delicate structure built low down in some bush, or in a clump of nettles on the outside of the hedge, it is composed of grass and bents lightly but strongly interwoven and lined with a few horsehairs, and though looking very fragile and thin, it serves its purpose well. The eggs, four to six in number, are of a yellowish-olive colour blotched and spotted, especially near the larger end, with purplish blue. The hen alone sits, while her mate warbles his song to relieve her tedium, or searches for insects and flies, which he continually brings her. ”

“ There rises, probably from the ground, a dark-coloured bird, whose quick movement will at once catch our eye, and being in company with others similar to himself, we shall have no difficulty in recognising the Redwing. Tired possibly by his long journey, he will settle on the hedge a little in front of us, and begin diligently feeding on any berries he can find, as but little in that line comes amiss to our friend; and soon he will again drop to the ground, and we shall get a glimpse of the deep red feathers under his wings from which he has derived his trivial name. ”

“ With a change of wind and temperature a large number will drift back again, but the movement will not be so noticeable, and thus they pass their lives, wandering wherever the weather and food may dictate, till in the very early days of spring, or even on fine days throughout the winter, we may hear their voluble song, breathing as it does the joy of freedom in every note. ”

“ At times it is most absurdly tame, so that it is possible to walk right among a flock, which will continue feeding or resting as though unaware of the presence of a stranger. Suddenly an individual will sound the little alarm-note, and the whole flock will rise as though governed by one mind, even those who were asleep flying off in full possession of their faculties as though they had been on the alert all the time. In summer many leave us to nest in Northern Europe, while others betake themselves to inland moors or salt marshes round the coast on which to breed. ”

“ A lively and sprightly little chap is he, as he sits on a tussock of grass or on a fence, jerking his tail, or darting with a quick sharp flight to some other elevation, showing, as he does so, his conspicuous white rump, while his dark wing feathers and tail and grey back prevent the passer-by from mistaking him for any other species. ”

“ In spring he becomes bolder, and we may watch him as he sits on the topmost spray of a bush, flirting his tail and throwing his body and wings into many and varied positions while he rattles forth the hurried medley of notes which serves him for a song. ”

“ By the end of summer he will have reared two broods of five or six youngsters each, and for a time our gardens are allowed a brief respite, while old and young gather in immense flocks in the harvest-fields, and then following the grain they spend some weeks round the freshly-made stacks in the farm-yard. As winter comes on they return once more to towns and gardens, where, by assuming a cold and starved appearance, they beg and frequently receive our charity, till the blooming of the spring flowers once more enables them to start their round of theft and damage. ”

“ There is little doubt that this beautiful species, if unmolested, would become a regular summer visitor to this country. Every year during the spring migration several of these birds are seen and shot, chiefly in our southern and south-western counties, and there is no doubt that it has on several occasions successfully reared its young in 100 this country. Its brilliant colouring unfortunately attracts the eye and the gun of those whose sole thought on seeing a rare bird is to kill it, and the large mass of nature lovers are thus deprived of the pleasure of a glimpse of this brilliant bird. ”

“ The wide circling flight of the Kite is a magnificent sight, as it daily covers large tracts of country in search of its food. Offal and carrion are, or should be, the chief diet of this species, but in this country it chiefly subsists on small mammals and birds, becoming, at the nesting time, very bold and taking toll from the poultry-yard and game coverts.
The Kite was formerly common throughout England and by no means rare in Scotland, but for many years past it has been restricted to certain places, in almost all of which it is now extinct. It is only a very occasional wanderer to Ireland. ”

“ A few weeks in spring and autumn along the shore is all the time this bird spends with us; he passes the winter in the warm tropics of Africa, wandering southwards as far as the Cape, and then, obeying some mysterious impulse of which we can form no conception, he journeys in May northwards, and passing over many spots, which would to our ignorant eyes afford him food and shelter sufficient for the rearing of his young, he seeks out the wild and lonely tundras of Europe and Siberia. ”

“ Winter is hardly over, the March winds still blow and the trees are bare, but still he comes to brave our inclement weather and retain his position as the first harbinger of spring. A small green Warbler of skulking habits, we will have to watch carefully if we wish to see him, for as we approach he will leave his post high up on some tree and hide in the undergrowth. ”

“ These wanderers, however, do not concern us much; they are gone, and our summer residents are busy with their second brood, and when this is hatched, young and old spend the rest of the warm weather in their home; renewing their plumage, and preparing themselves for the shortening days of autumn, when they pass away to the 25 sunny shores of the Mediterranean and to North Africa, though a few stragglers may possibly be found during the winter in some warm and sheltered nook of Cornwall or Devon. ”

“ There is no month in the year when we cannot find this bird on our shores whatever be the weather—amidst a howling winter’s gale and driving sleet, or under the blazing summer’s sun, when we can see the heated air vibrating over the burning stones, he is still there, apparently absolutely unmoved by the all-powerful forces of nature. ”

“ In autumn the young and old visit the standing crops in family parties, and they pass the winter seeking their food on the ground in stubbles and fallows or visiting the stack-yards for the fallen grain. ”

“ What a thrill it gives us as we listen on a warm spring evening to the liquid notes bubbling forth and resounding through the still air. He pauses for breath, and we can then hear in the distance the voice of another and yet another answering the song, the more distant warbling sounding as echoes of our own musician, till the whole country-side is full of exquisite melody. We retire, feeling in ourselves the magic of that “breath of spring” which has brought the ever-welcome wanderer to our shores once more. ”

“ A few feet down the bank, and cunningly hidden near a sheep-path, underneath an overhanging tuft, is the nest, built almost entirely of grass and bents, as is the case with most of the Thrushes, but with little or no mud. The young, four in number, being well grown, scramble out of the nest, calling out at the same time, and bringing their parents round us again, more vociferous than ever. We have, however, no evil intentions, and having satisfied our curiosity we continue our walk. ”

“ There must be few of us who have not noticed this charming little bird when we are walking in winter along a hedgerow. We are attracted by a high-pitched “zi-zit” as the bird darts from the hedge in front of us, and after a few yards of undulating flight settles again. It is not alone, for another and yet another Tit follows till the whole family party are busy at work hopping and creeping about the hedge. ”

“ Both parents carefully watch and tend them, flying up on the approach of danger, while the young squat closely on the ground, where they become almost invisible. Their wings grow when at the age of five weeks, by which time they are nearly as large as their parents, and are then well able to take care of themselves and wander away to join the flocks of their own kind, or to amalgamate with other passing wanderers, and add their cries to swell the sounds of the shore, which are such a delight to every naturalist. ”

“ We may then walk about the field in vain so far as that pair is concerned, for they will not return to settle while we are there and the eggs are so protectively coloured that the chances of our seeing them, even if we walk right by them, are exceedingly remote. While we were watching the male bird perform his curious antics, the hen, warned by his cries, quietly slipped off the nest, and flying low skimmed the next hedge and so away, and he, having watched her safely into a neighbouring field, goes off to join her and leaves us to find the eggs if we can. ”

“ A hole in a tree on the outskirts of a wood, along a river, or in a park, is the selected spot for their residence. The nest is loosely constructed of moss lined with hair, and in it are laid five to six eggs of a delicate blue colour much resembling those of the Hedge Sparrow. The hen is a much duller coloured bird than the cock, but with a red tail, which she moves with the same characteristic motion; she undertakes alone the duties of incubation, her lord and master keeping her well fed with insects, flies, and any living creature of suitable size that he is able to capture. ”

“ The young are fed exclusively on insects, but after leaving the nest they spend their time eagerly feeding on seeds, berries, or anything that comes their way. As summer wanes, giving place to autumn, they collect in large flocks and seek the stubble fields, where the scattered grain gives them abundant nourishment, and on which they become very fat. It is at such times, while they are asleep by night, that they are netted by hundreds for the market. ”

“ The presence of a human being seems to spur this delicate species to song, for if, when strolling near some river or pond towards the end of April, we inadvertently pass this little songster, he will at once burst forth with his noisy chattering notes, as though loudly protesting against this unseemly invasion into his privacy. ”

“ However, as we stay still, she presently disappears, and he, ceasing his monotonous note, hops behind a tussock of grass, and all is quiet. Suddenly he reappears with a fine insect in his beak; we are still regarded with suspicion, and the clucking note is often repeated as he flies round us several times, continually settling for a few seconds to make sure whether our presence is for good or ill before he betrays the whereabouts of his nest, the all-absorbing interest of his life at the present time. ”

“ When his mate begins her tedious business of incubation he attends to her wants with unremitting care, bringing her any delicacies in the shape of insects, flies, and caterpillars he can find. The young at first look like balls of down, and when they open bright orange-coloured mouths they are quickly filled with what is apparently a favourite food—luscious green caterpillars. ”

“ They are fed by regurgitation, the young bird inserting its beak into that of the parent.
The note of the Wood Pigeon is a soft melodious “cooroo, coo, coo.” When courting he expands his tail, blows out his crop, and holding his head high in the air utters his coo; he then bows, and raises his expanded tail. His hen, who usually shows but little enthusiasm over the display, has probably moved a little farther off, and the display ends with an awkward hop towards her. ”

“ The Black-headed Gull is an extremely abundant species throughout the United Kingdom at all times of the year. In summer it resorts to various inland marshes and bogs, where it nests in immense colonies, some of which have been in use for centuries. In autumn and winter it is found all along the coast and up tidal rivers, a great many coming to London, where they are extremely tame and show great agility in catching bread and other morsels of food thrown to them by pedestrians. The bird is practically omnivorous. ”