John Henry Salter

“ I scarcely expected to meet with this species so far north; possibly it is extending its range. In a few days its artless jingle of a song, more suggestive of a Bunting than a Finch, was to be heard everywhere in suburban gardens. In the Botanic Garden I had full opportunity of watching its fussy and energetic ways. Its usual callnote is a sibilant trill. At pairing-time the males have a wavering flight, like that of a Sand Martin, and often sing upon the wing. One of them constantly sang while perched on the roof of the Schloss. No doubt two broods are raised, as they were in song until Aug. ”

“ The town itself, with its fine avenues of elm and horse-chestnut, the large walled gardens attached to the older houses, and, above all, the Botanic Garden, offers many attractions to birds. Nor should one omit to mention the Sieg, which flows into the Rhine on its right side some three miles below Bonn. ”

“ Bare enough in winter, it becomes a veritable jungle by the end of May, as with the growth of the willows comes an upgrowth of nettles and tall weeds of every kind, so matted together with hops, bindweed, and the parasitic dodder that by midsummer it is all but impassable. ”

“ It is hemmed in by the vineyard slopes, above which we reach the general level of the country to find an almost limitless stretch of forest-land, principally Scotch fir, beech, oak, and birch on a gravel soil. Of this nature is the Kotten Forst, which stretches for eight or ten miles behind Bonn; also the wooded hills and dales of the Seven Mountains, and of the neighbourhood of Rolandseck and Remagen. Only in a few spots does the wood become well-grown timber. Roe are everywhere numerous. Foresting is much more of a science than with us ”

“ In the woods they were to be heard at every turn, while in winter scarcely one was to be seen. Wood Larks began to sing about the open heath-land on the edge of the forest. On the 20th hybernating butterflies, such as Brimstones and Camberwell Beauties (Vanessa antiopa) were flying. Woodpeckers were jubilant, and amatory Jays vented their feelings in a variety of uncouth notes. Two days later Stonechats returned, and on March 24th the first Blackcap reached the Botanic Garden; colder weather set in, and there was no further arrival of this species for ten days. ”

“ I was told that in every brood of young Buzzards the strongest individual kills its nest fellows, and in all cases where I have seen young Buzzards in the nest one precocious chick has bullied the other one, or sometimes two, unmercifully. The next day a second Buzzard's nest contained two eggs which were chipping to hatch. ”

“ Having spent the first nine months of the year 1896 at Bonn, and made numerous notes upon the birds of that neighbourhood, it seemed that some of the facts observed might be worth recording. The chief interest lies in the few species which one does not meet with in an ordinary way in England, and it is easy to understand why they are not more numerous when one reflects that the distance from our own shores is not greater than that from London to Edinburgh. ”

“ This species with us appears to sing much more freely in winter than the Yellowhammer does. A visit paid to a small Heronry upon March 28th showed that these birds vie with the Raven in the matter of early breeding. In one nest young birds were calling loudly. There were egg-shells under two other nests, while a fourth contained three small young ones, and an egg which was hatching. On April 7th the young birds of the first mentioned brood were flying from tree to tree. At Craig-y-Pistyll, on March 28th, a pair of Ravens had a nest with five fresh eggs. ”

“ The males perched upon a reed-stem or willow-spray, always in spirited attitude, never with the listless manner of a Robin, and sang boldly and sweetly, flirting the half-spread tail with a sort of pump-handle movement, till it was sometimes more than vertical, inclined over the back. They constantly drop down into the herbage to pick up an insect, or dart up into the air for a gnat or daddy-longlegs ”

“ This fine species is nearing extinction in Wales, its nests being ruthlessly harried by egg-dealers whose names are perfectly well known. There is no possibility of these Kites breeding successfully except under such protection as would be afforded by a resolute and reliable watcher, never out of sight of the nest night or day. A clean sweep had also been made of the Buzzards' eggs, and it is probable that a dozen pairs did not succeed collectively in bringing off more than three or four young. ”

“ The birds had attempted to nest once more in their favourite tree, and fresh marks of climbing irons indicated that the eggs had been taken, making the fifth year in succession in which they have been obtained from this nest. A dealer visits the district regularly in quest of Kites' eggs, and the extinction of the birds can only be a matter of a year or two. ”

“ I myself have not seen bird or nest for seven years. Formerly the Kite used to breed yearly near Aberbran, about five miles west from Brecon (Zool. 1889, p. 226) . In 1894 a pair of Buzzards took possession of the wood and nested, and the Kites were not to be found, but in 1895 they returned. There is in a Brecon collection a clutch of three eggs taken from this wood. There are five or six places in the county where the Kite occasionally nests or tries to. ”

“ I have been unable to get any information for the present year (1900) .
"I am afraid that, like yourself, I must come to the conclusion that the species is doomed. What is the use of a fine of £1 when the eggs and bird are worth two or three times as much? A gamekeeper once said to me, 'A dead Kite is worth £2 or £3: how can you expect a poor man to spare one?'" ”

“ Mr. E.E.M. Edwards obligingly informed me of an instance of the Woodcock breeding in the neighbourhood of Dolgelly, viz., in Dolg-y-Feiliau Wood, near Tyn-y-Groes. For some unknown reason, the nesting of the Woodcock in this part of the country is an event of extremely rare occurrence. Mr. Arthur Parry wrote me that a pair of Buzzards breed annually on Trychrug, near Cilcennin, in this county. On March 18th, in frost and snow, Mr. D.B. Grubb visited a Ravens' nest, which contained three eggs, in the wild hill-district of Cardiganshire. ”

“ In fact, this may be said to be a usual habit of Welsh Buzzards. Kestrels were tenanting a nest from which young Ravens had flown. Another Kestrel, having taken possession of a deserted Buzzard's nest, was sitting upon two Buzzard's eggs in addition to her own. A pair of Ravens in the Yrfon Valley had two young upon the wing. Pied Flycatchers were breeding freely, often in disused holes of the Green or Greater Spotted Woodpecker. ”

“ Swainson characterizes as a rare resident in Breconshire. He writes: "I know of two instances of its nesting here (at Brecon) . About three years ago small flocks attacked the peas in July, and on two occasions several were shot."
The Wryneck is described as "very rare" in Breconshire. Capt. Swainson says, "I am acquainted with its cry, which I have heard here only once, eleven years ago." Mr. F.T. Feilden has heard the note of the Wryneck at Three Cocks Junction. ”

“ O.V. Aplin (Zool. 1894, p. 412) states that he hears it every year. On Oct. 30th I listened to the Missel Thrush's autumn song, which I only recollect to have heard upon one previous occasion. Common Buntings and a Cirl Bunting were singing freely upon Christmas Day. The latter, an increasing species here, has sung at intervals all through the past autumn and mild winter. ”

“ Hutchings showed me a Spotted Crake just set up. In November Bramblings appeared under the beech trees. They seem to visit us biennially, missing the alternate years when there is no beech-mast. On Nov. ”