Chapter IV: Introduction (3)

This member of the Duck family selects the neatest and best concealed situation of all. It is generally well hidden in a tussock of rushes growing in or close to the water of a mere or pond. The nest is made of dead rushes, grass, or reeds, and is lined with small dark pieces of down, with whitish centres. The eggs are light greenish-buff in colour, and number from eight to ten, or even thirteen. They are very similar to those of the Pochard, but the down tufts in the nest are darker.

THE STONE CURLEW.

Found on stony, arable land, commons, and rough, bare pastures. I have watched the bird through my binoculars, when put off her eggs, fly to some distance and remain quite flat upon the ground, with which she closely harmonises. The nest is a mere unlined hollow, with sometimes a few bents in it, which may as easily as not have been blown there. Her eggs number two, of light buffish to clay-brown ground colour, blotched and spotted with blackish-brown and grey. I have noticed that one egg in a nest will differ radically in the size and intensity of its markings from the others.

THE FULMAR PETREL.

So far as the British Isles are concerned, it is perhaps only safe to say that this bird breeds at St. Kilda, although it has been reported from other quarters. Its nest is situated on ledges of cliffs covered with a sufficient amount of earth for the bird to make a burrow in, or in crevices. It is sometimes lined with a scanty supply of dry grass; at others no lining at all is used. The bird lays a single rough, chalky-white egg.

THE GARGANEY.

Norfolk seems to be the last breeding resort of this duck. Its nest is situated in reed beds, or such other vegetation as will afford the bird plenty of concealment. It is composed of reeds, leaves, or dry grass, and is lined with pieces of down, the long white tips of which distinguish it from the Teal. The eggs are creamy-white, like those of the bird above-named, and number from seven or eight to as many as thirteen.

THE GOOSANDER.

The Goosander breeds in the Highlands of Scotland, and situates its nest in hollow trees and crevices of rock, generally near the water. Very little, if any, material is said to be used excepting the warm lining of greyish-white down from the bird's own body. The eggs number from eight to a dozen or thirteen, creamy-white and smooth-shelled.

THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE.

The midland and eastern counties contain the favourite breeding resorts of this handsome bird. Its nest is composed of all kinds of dead aquatic vegetation, such as reeds and flags, and is situated in or on the water of lakes, broads, large tarns, and meres. The bird lays three or four eggs, sometimes even as many as five, white and chalky when first laid, but soon becoming soiled and dirty.

THE BLACK GUILLEMOT.

The Isle of Man, Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetlands, and some parts of Ireland are favoured by this bird as a breeder. Its nest is situated in crevices and under ledges and boulders of rock. No materials of any kind are used for its nest. The eggs number two, varying from light bluish-green to light buffy-white in ground colour, spotted, speckled, and blotched with rich blackish-brown and pale reddish-brown and underlying grey markings.

THE KITTIWAKE.

The nest of the Kittiwake is situated on ledges of maritime cliffs round our coast, and at the Farne Islands. I have seen the bird occupying such a small corner that it was unable to sit properly on its eggs. The nest is made of seaweed and lined with dead grass. Its eggs number two, three, and rarely four, and vary from light greenish-blue to stone colour, or buffish-brown, blotched and spotted with varying shades of brown and grey. The markings sometimes form a zone round the larger end.

THE SHORT-EARED OWL.

On the ground, amongst heather or sedges, this bird makes its nest, in the eastern and northern counties and in Scotland. It uses next to no materials, but such as are present consist of bits of dead reeds and leaves. Its eggs number from four to seven or eight, pure white, unspotted, and oval in shape.

THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER.

Although nowhere abundant, this bird breeds in suitable districts throughout England. Its nest is situated in a hole in the trunk or some large branch of a tree, and is about seven to a dozen inches deep. I have found it quite close to London. No materials are used for the nest except chippings of dry wood detached in the construction of the hole. Eggs from five or six to eight, and even nine, white, without spots, and polished.

THE WILLOW WREN.

The nest of the Willow Wren, or Willow Warbler, is situated on or near the ground in fields, orchards, woods, and almost everywhere. It is made of moss, bits of dried grass, occasionally fern-fronds or leaves, and is lined with feathers and hair. The eggs number from four or five to seven, and upon occasion I have found eight. They are white, spotted with reddish-brown.

THE SEDGE WARBLER.

I have found this bird's nest amongst low bushes, tufts of tall, coarse grass, and amongst nettles; generally, though not always, near water. It is composed of grass-stems lined with finer grass, horsehair, and sometimes vegetable down in small quantities. The eggs number five or six, light yellowish-brown tinged with blue, which is rarely seen on account of the closely-crowded yellowish-brown or buffish-brown markings. The eggs generally have a few streaks or lines of blackish-brown on the larger end.

THE RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.

The nest of this bird is found on the ground, concealed beneath rocks, or amongst the vegetation growing on the banks of large bodies of water in Scotland and Ireland. I have seen it on the banks of streams, where it must have been washed away by the first freshet. It is composed of bits of heather, dry leaves, and down from the bird's own body. The eggs number from six or seven to nine, or even a dozen, and vary from buffish-grey to pale olive-grey in colour.

THE GREENSHANK.

Breeds chiefly in the Highlands of Scotland, and the islands lying to the west thereof. Its nest is merely a slight declivity lined with a few bits of dry grass, dead heather, or leaves. The eggs number four, of a stone colour or creamy-white, spotted and blotched dark reddish-brown and grey.

THE WHIMBREL.

The islands to the west and north of Scotland are the breeding home of the Whimbrel. A slight dry hollow in the shelter of a tussock of grass or heath is selected on some lonely piece of moor. The nest is lined with a few blades of withered grass, sprigs of heather, or dead leaves. The eggs number four, varying from darkish buff to olive-green, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown, olive-brown, and underlying markings of grey.

1. Wood Warbler. 2. Greenshank. 3. Sandwich Tern.
4. Reed Warbler. 5. Whimbrel. 6. Black Guillemot. 7. Garganey.
8. Red-breasted Merganser. 9. Bearded Tit.
]

THE REED WARBLER.

This bird suspends its nest between the stems of reeds and branches of willows and other trees growing from or over water. It is composed of sedge grass, reed leaves, moss, hair, and reed-down. It is found in the Southern and Eastern portions of England. The eggs number four or five, light greenish-blue or greenish-white, spotted, freckled, and clouded with greenish-brown or dark olive, and underlying markings of greyish-brown. The spots are generally most numerous round the larger end of the egg.

THE WOOD WARBLER.

Breeds sparingly throughout England and in Southern Scotland. Its nest is placed in tufts of coarse grass and other vegetation on the ground, and is composed of dry grass, leaves, and bits of moss, and lined with horsehair only. This feature will readily distinguish it from the nest of the Chiffchaff and Willow Wren, whose semi-domed structures it closely resembles in other respects. The eggs number from five to seven, white in ground colour, numerously spotted and freckled with purplish-brown and underlying markings of grey.

THE TWITE.

The Twite breeds on the moors in the North of England, Scotland, and in Ireland. Its nest is situated on or near the ground amongst heather or furze. It is composed of sprigs of heath, and lined with rootlets, wool, feathers, and hair. The eggs number four or five, sometimes six, and are similar to those of the Linnet, pale bluish-green, spotted, speckled, and streaked with purplish-red and reddish-brown. I have found several nests close together on a small rocky islet in the Highlands.

THE BEARDED TIT.

It is thought by some writers that the exceptionally hard weather we experienced last winter (1894-5) has extinguished this little bird in its last resort, the fens of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire; however, it is to be hoped that this is not the case. Its nest is composed of dead sedge and reed leaves, lined with grass and reed-down, and is situated near the ground in some large reed bed. The eggs number from four to seven, light brownish-white, sparingly marked with streaks and spots of dark brown.

THE ROSEATE TERN.

So rare a breeder with us has this bird become, that a celebrated authority recently included it in a work on British Birds' Nests only after some hesitation; but I am pleased to say that two pairs bred last year in one of their old haunts well-known to me. The nest is simply a hollow in the sand or shingle of a small rocky island, at no great height from the sea. The eggs number two or three, and exactly resemble in coloration and size those of the Common and Arctic Terns.

1. Fork-tailed Petrel. 2. Mute Swan. 3. Grey-lag Goose.
4. Fulmar Petrel. 5. Manx Shearwater. 6. Spotted Crake.
7. Black Grouse.
]

THE RINGED PLOVER.

This pretty little bird makes no nest in the proper sense of the word, although I have found a few pebbles and small shells used when a rocky place instead of a sandy beach has been chosen for breeding upon. Its nest is generally well above high-water-mark, amongst fine sand, shingle, or on bare rock round our coast, and on the shores of inland sheets of water. The eggs number four, and vary from pale buff to stone or cream colour, spotted and speckled all over with small brownish-black and underlying inky-grey marks.

THE MANX SHEARWATER.

The Manx Shearwater breeds on the western coasts of England and Scotland, in the Hebrides and islands to the north of Scotland; also in several parts of the Irish coast and the off-lying islands. Its nest is situated at the end of a deep burrow, which is generally dug by the bird itself. Some observers have reported it to consist of bits of grass and stalks, and others have found no attempt at all at nest-building in some of the burrows they have opened. It lays a single white, smooth egg.

THE PINTAIL DUCK.

This uncommon Duck breeds in one or two parts of Ireland and Scotland still, it is said on good authority. Its nest consists of rushes, sedge, dead grass, and tufts of dark brown down bearing white tips, and is placed amongst rushes and such other coarse vegetation as will afford the bird shelter. The eggs number from six to eight, or even ten, of a pale buff colour tinged with green.

LEACH'S FORK-TAILED PETREL.

The St. Kilda group of islands forms the principal British-breeding haunt of this bird, although colonies nest in the Hebrides and on the Blaskets off the Irish coast. The nest is situated at the end of a burrow made by the bird itself, or under rocks, and is composed of withered grass, moss, and lichens. Only one egg is laid, white in ground colour, with a belt of small brownish-red spots round the larger end.

THE RED-NECKED PHALAROPE.

A little withered grass or other herbage is used to line the depression selected by this bird for its nesting-place, which is situated on the ground in grassy swamps and marshes, near water as a rule, in the North of Scotland and some of the islands lying to the west and north thereof. Four eggs are laid, varying in ground colour from olive to pale buff, spotted, speckled, and blotched with varying shades of dark brown and underlying specks of light grey.

THE HOOPOE.

Although this bird has bred in different parts of England, its chances of doing so now are somewhat remote, on account of the merciless persecution it suffers at the hands of gunners. Its nest is situated in holes in trees, walls, or rocks, and is composed of bits of straws and dry grass. The eggs number from five to seven, and vary from light greenish-blue to pale buff, with minute pit marks over their surface.

1. Golden Oriole. 2. Shag. 3. Gadwall. 4. Willow Wren.
5. Richardson's Skua. 6. Marsh Warbler. 7. Goshawk.
8. Pintail. 9. Arctic Tern. 10. Blue-headed Wagtail.
]

THE GOLDEN ORIOLE.

This bird is, to a very great extent, an accidental visitor to our shores, but it is thought by eminent authorities that it would become a common breeder with us were it not so dear to the heart of the collector. It has bred in several of the southern counties of England, and suspends its nest, which is composed of strips of bark, wool, sedge, grass, and leaves, with an inner lining of flower-heads of grass, beneath the forks of a large horizontal branch at some considerable height from the ground. The eggs number four to five or six, are white or light creamy-white, spotted with purplish-brown and underlying markings of grey.

THE OSPREY.

The Osprey, now only met with in one or two remote parts of Scotland, employs sticks, turf, moss, and wool in the construction of its bulky nest, which it builds on the top of a tall tree or ruin. The eggs number three, sometimes four, varying from white to creamy-white in ground colour, beautifully marked, and especially so at the larger end, as a rule with rich reddish-brown. The markings vary considerably.

THE WHITE WAGTAIL.

Although this bird is the Continental representative of our Pied Wagtail, there are on record many well-authenticated instances of its breeding in this country. It differs from the Pied Wagtail in being bluish or slate grey, where that bird is black, below the nape. Its nest, and the situation in which it is placed, do not differ from that of the bird just named. The eggs are also similar, but are said to be subject to greater variation in colour and markings.

THE BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL.

The nest of this somewhat rare visitor has several times been found in Northumberland, and it has in all probability nested on many occasions elsewhere, without its identity being clearly established. The nest is made of dry grass, fine roots, and moss, lined with hair and occasionally a few feathers, and is situated on a bank or amongst grass or corn in a similar position to that of the Yellow Wagtail. The eggs number five as a rule, but six are sometimes found, of a yellowish-white ground colour, spotted, freckled, and clouded with light brown, and occasionally streaked on the larger end with fine blackish-brown lines.

MONTAGU'S HARRIER.

Although this bird rarely breeds with us now, its nest has occasionally been met with in recent years in the southern counties. The nest is placed on the ground amongst heath, fern, furze, or growing crops, and consists of a few twigs, straws, and bits of dead grass. Its eggs number from four to six, of a faint bluish-white, and are on rare occasions marked with a few light reddish-brown spots.

1. Hen Harrier. 2. Roseate Tern. 3. Great Black-backed Gull.
4. Lesser Black-backed Gull. 5. Great Crested Grebe. 6. Kittiwake.
7. Stone Curlew. 8. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. 9. White Wagtail.
]

THE HEN HARRIER.

Game-preserving has proved a disastrous business to this bird, and it now only breeds in a few of its old strongholds, such as Cornwall, Wales, the Highlands, Orkneys, and Hebrides, where I have met with it. Its nest is composed of sticks, sprigs of heather, dry grass, and wool, and is placed upon the ground in deep heather. The eggs number from four to six, of a pale bluish-white colour, rarely marked with a few reddish-brown spots.

THE MARSH HARRIER.

Sticks, reeds, and sedge are the materials used by this bird for building its nest, which is situated on the ground, although instances have been reported of it occurring in a tree. It is said to still breed in Norfolk and the West of England. The eggs number three or four, sometimes as many as six, it is said. They are greyish-white, slightly tinged with light bluish-green, and occasionally marked with rusty brown.

THE HOBBY.

This bird still breeds in very small numbers in the Midlands and in the Eastern Counties. It selects the old nest of a Crow, Wood Pigeon, or Magpie, and deposits its three or four eggs in it without any attempt at nest-building. The eggs are yellowish-white in ground colour, but this is almost entirely hidden by the thick marking of reddish-brown.

RICHARDSON'S SKUA.

The islands lying to the West and North of Scotland, also parts of the far north of the mainland, are chosen by this Skua for its breeding quarters. The nest is simply a slight hollow, sparingly lined with a few bits of withered grass, and is situated on wild, unfrequented moors and bog-land. The eggs number two, but upon occasion one only is found, and sometimes as many as three. They vary from olive-green to reddish-brown in ground colour, spotted and blotched with blackish-brown and light grey. I have seen them harmonise so closely with their surroundings that I had a great difficulty in finding them, though I had marked the whereabouts of the nest within a few feet through my binoculars.

THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL.

Low rocky islands are the favourite breeding places of this Gull, and they are now particularly numerous at the Farne Islands, where I have seen the eggs lying about so thickly that the visitor had to exercise great care to avoid treading upon them. Sometimes quite a large quantity of seaweed is used in making the nest, at others a few bits of grass and roots, and in some cases, where bare peat earth is available, simply a hollow is scratched out. The eggs as a rule number three, but sometimes only two are met with. I have seen it stated that the bird occasionally lays four, but out of the hundreds of nests I have examined I have never had the luck to see that number. In coloration they vary from pale greyish-green to reddish-brown, blotched and spotted with blackish- and greyish-brown. Sometimes the markings take the form of streaks. The eggs, although as a rule darker than those of the Herring Gull, are very difficult to distinguish, and I have found no safe method short of watching the parent birds on the nest.

THE GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL.

The flat-topped summits of rocks, stacks, and high maritime cliffs are the usual situation for this Gull's nest; however, I have met with it on comparatively low rocky islets in Highland sea-lochs. It does not breed on the East Coast of England. Its nest is made of bits of heather, dead grass, seaweed, and sometimes a few feathers, and varies in size. The eggs number three, but sometimes only two are found, greyish-brown or stone colour, tinged with olive and spotted with blackish-brown and dark grey.

THE BLACK GROUSE.

This bird places its nest amongst deep heather, long grass, and rushes, ferns, and brambles, in suitable moorland parts of England, Wales, and Scotland. It is simply a hollow lined with a few bits of fern, heath, or dead grass. The eggs number six to ten, or even more, yellowish-white to buff, spotted with rich reddish-brown. I have generally found it through putting the hen off her nest.

THE MARSH WARBLER.

A situation such as that afforded by a stunted bush overgrown with weeds and close to water of some kind, chiefly in the southern counties of England, is said to be chosen by the Marsh Warbler for its nest. It employs grass-stems and leaves, moss and spiders' webs, in the construction of its nest, with an inner lining of horsehair. The eggs number from five to seven, and vary considerably in coloration. One type is said to be greenish-white, spotted, blotched, and marbled with olive-brown, and another greenish-blue, blotched and spotted with olive-brown and grey underlying marks. It is a rare and local breeder with us.

THE SNOW BUNTING.

The highest mountain-tops of Scotland and the Shetlands are patronised by the Snow Bunting during the breeding season. It makes its nest of withered grass, fine roots, and moss, and lines it with down, wool, hair, or feathers, and situates it in crevices of rock or amongst loose stones. The eggs number from four to eight, but five or six are generally found, varying from dull white to very light greenish-blue in ground colour, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown, and occasionally streaked with blackish-brown. The markings are most numerous at the larger end, and the underlying ones are of a light grey and pale brown.

1. Hoopoe. 2. Red-necked Phalarope. 3. Crested Tit.
4. Common Tern. 5. Red-throated Diver. 6. Black-throated Diver.
7. Lesser Tern. 8. Montagu's Harrier. 9. Sedge Warbler.
]

THE SPOTTED CRAKE.

The eastern and southern counties of England are the favourite breeding resorts of this somewhat uncommon bird. Its nest is large, and made of reeds, sedges, rushes, and other materials growing in swamps, and is placed on a tussock or amongst reeds, the base generally resting in water. The eggs number eight to ten, and even twelve, and vary in ground colour from white to buff, the intermediate stages including olive and greenish-white. They are spotted with reddish-brown of varying shades, and grey.

THE RED-THROATED DIVER.

I have seen this bird's nest in the Outer Hebrides, where it is fairly common. It also breeds on the mainland of Scotland and in Ireland. The nest is generally placed close to the edge of some mountain tarn or loch, and is a mere depression trodden in the peat earth, sometimes scantily lined with bits of dead bent or water-weeds. The eggs number two, of a dark brownish-olive, frequently greenish, spotted with blackish-brown, and underlying markings of a lighter character.

THE BLACK-THROATED DIVER.

The Black-throated Diver breeds in the Outer Hebrides and on the mainland of Scotland. It places its nest, which is made of reeds and aquatic weeds, lined with grass, on the shingle of mountain-loch shores and small islands. The eggs number two, dark olive-brown, or buffish-brown, spotted somewhat sparingly with blackish-brown and umber-brown. The eggs need careful identification, else they are likely to be confused with those of the Red-throated species.

INDEX

A

Auk, Little, 69

B

Bittern, 33
Blackbird, 29
Blackcap, 46
Black Redstart, 62
Blue Tit, 46
Brambling, 63
Bullfinch, 22
Bunting, Black-headed, 65
" Cirl, 60
" Common, 56
" Snow, 90
Buzzard, 60