Part 7

If we did not know the habits of our friend, the first signs of his presence in the garden would be when he flies up to feed his mate with some special titbit, and then as he jumps out from the ivy we see him winging his way with elegant flight across the meadow to his favourite feeding-ground. In due course the young are hatched, and as the needs of the growing family become greater, we can often see the parents coming and going with unceasing energy till night brings compulsory rest to their labours. When the young leave the nest they are almost immediately taken into the grass fields, where the flies, attracted by the feeding cattle, offer them an easy livelihood.

September comes, and in company with the Meadow Pipits, they wander over the country and along the salt marshes near the sea previous to seeking other countries, or settling in the warmer parts of England near some sheltered farm where they may find food until the returning spring reminds them of their old haunts, or impels the younger generation to seek a mate and home.

In winter the sexes are alike, and grey in general colour with dark wings and tail (except the two outer feathers, which are white), while the inner secondaries are also broadly edged with white; under parts white.

In summer the chin and back are black, the forehead and a stripe across the face being white. Length 7·3 in.; wing 3·5 in.

The young bird resembles the adult in winter, but the white portions, especially on the throat and breast, are tinged with yellowish and the breast is slightly spotted.

This bird is generally distributed throughout the British Isles, rarer in the north and resident in the warmer portions of the south and west.

WHITE WAGTAIL Motacilla alba, Linnæus

This is the Continental form of the preceding species, which passes through the country every year on migration and occasionally stays to breed. In habits it is precisely similar to its congener the Pied Wagtail. It may be distinguished by its rather lighter colour, and in summer it retains the light grey back but assumes the black chin.

The females, however, of our own species frequently do not assume a black back, so that the colour of the back when seen in the field will not be sufficient to identify this species. When it can be closely compared it may always be recognised by the clearer grey of the back and pure grey upper tail coverts. In the Pied Wagtail the mantle has a greenish tinge, and the proximal tail coverts are nearly black. Length 7·5 in.; wing 3·5 in.

GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla melanope, Pallas

The Grey Wagtail is a close inhabitant of rocky streams, and we have to go to the more mountainous parts of our islands to find this species "at home."

Like the Pied Wagtail it is a partial migrant, seeking the warmer portions in the south and west during the winter and moving back to the same rushing streams with the return of spring.

The nest is placed in one of the loose stone walls so common near its haunts, or on the ground in some cleft of the rocks. The eggs resemble those of the Yellow Wagtail, but are slightly larger.

It is a very handsome bird, the handsomest perhaps of all our Wagtails. The back and upper parts are of a deep bluish grey: wings and tail (except the two outer feathers, which are white, a characteristic of all wagtails), dark brown; under parts clear lemon yellow, paler on the vent. Length 7 in.; wing 3·3 in.

Female and young resemble the male, but are paler. In summer the male has a jet black gorget.

This species has a much longer tail than our other species, the Yellow Wagtail having the shortest tail.

Generally distributed throughout our islands but only found during summer near rushing torrents, wandering at other times throughout the country, but always in the vicinity of running water.

The note is very similar to that of the Pied Wagtail.

THE BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL Motacilla flava, Linnæus

This species resembles the Yellow Wagtail very closely in all respects, and is the common Continental "Yellow Wagtail," many different races of which are found. It occurs yearly in the south-east of England on migration and sometimes stays to breed.

The adults may be distinguished from our Yellow Wagtail by having the upper part of the head and neck, including the cheeks, bluish grey and the stripe over the eye _white_. Young birds are practically indistinguishable from those of our common species, but the eye stripe is constantly whiter. Length 6·3 in.; wing 3·2 in.

A closely allied race is _M. beema_, which breeds in Western Siberia and occurs on migration in India. It is very closely allied to _M. flava_, but is paler on the head and has the _cheeks_ and chin _white_. This form has been taken in England on one occasion, viz. in Sussex, in April 1898. Faded and worn specimens of _M. flava_ appear at first sight to belong to this form, so that excessive caution is necessary before finally identifying British specimens as belonging to this race.

The Scandinavian form, known as _M. borealis_, with a dark grey crown and _no_ eye stripe, has been obtained on several occasions, and even remained to breed in Sussex in 1906.

_M. cinereocephala_, which has not yet been obtained in England, but breeds in South Europe from Italy eastwards, may be recognised from _M. borealis_ by its rather darker head and cheeks and by having the _entire throat_ white.

Lastly, we have the Black-headed Wagtail, _M. melanocephala_, which inhabits South-eastern Europe and has a black head with hardly any trace of an eye stripe, and which was also obtained on the south coast in 1906. In this form the cheeks and under parts, including the chin, are bright yellow.

THE YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla raii (Bonaparte)

In the flat meadow-lands and pastures intersected by ditches or bordering some sluggish river, we may see this brilliant little fellow as he struts about under the feet of the cattle. At one moment he is running forward to pick some insect off the grass with an audible snap of his slender bill, and the next jumping up to seize, after the manner of the Flycatcher, some winged insect that has come within range of his sharp eyes.

This bird is a true migrant, reaching our shores during the latter half of April and leaving us again in September. The males arrive, as is the case with so many species, a few days before the hens, and on their arrival nest-building is begun without further delay. The site chosen is on the ground in the middle of an open field and generally near some upturned sod or in the deep footprints of the cattle. A few grass stems loosely laid together and lined with horsehair suffices for a nest, and the eggs, five to six in number, are of a pale clay-brown with no spots or markings. The birds are very shy when at the nest, leaving it long before the intruder has approached, and only running on again when he is well away. The young are fed exclusively on insects, and when they are fledged remain in their summer home till shorter days and colder nights warn them that autumn has come. Old and young then collect in enormous numbers in the salt marshes along the sea-shore, until with favourable weather they pass on to warmer and more congenial climes.

The male above is of a uniform bright greenish yellow, with a yellow eye stripe; under parts bright lemon yellow. Females and young are similar but duller, the latter sometimes showing in autumn some dark spots on the breast. Length 6·25 in.; wing 3·15 in.

This bird is distributed in suitable localities throughout England, with the exception of the extreme south-west. In Wales it is chiefly seen on migration, and in Ireland it is only found nesting in a few places. In Scotland it does not nest north of Perthshire, and to the north of the Great Glen it is only a rare straggler. Abroad it is confined to North-west France and the Iberian peninsula, wandering in winter to West Africa.

THE TREE PIPIT Anthus trivialis (Linnæus)

Arriving in April with our other summer visitors, the Tree Pipit may be found fairly commonly throughout England and Scotland, but becomes scarcer in the north. It has not yet been known to visit Ireland. It may be heard singing its pretty little song near the outskirts of woods, or in fields bordered by trees. This is usually uttered on the wing when, having sprung some distance into the air, it descends with fluttering wings and open tail to the same perch on the top of the tree from which it started. Most of its food is sought on the ground, and consists almost entirely of insects. The nest is placed in the middle of a field, or more preferably in some bank or railway cutting, and is composed of roots and bents with a little moss and lined with finer bents and hair. The eggs are generally six in number and vary considerably, the commonest variety being greenish white with bold blurred markings of dark brown at their larger end, another variety resembles this in markings but is suffused with reddish, while a third variety is uniformly and closely mottled with reddish brown.

In appearance, though not in habits, this bird somewhat resembles a lark. The upper parts are sandy brown with dark brown streaks, the wing coverts darker with conspicuous pale edging to the median ones. Chin white, breast and flanks buff with darker markings, rest of under parts white. Tail feathers dark brown except the two outer pairs, which show a considerable amount of white. Hind claw short and curved. The sexes are alike, but the female is slightly smaller. The young are rather more spotted. Length 6 in.; wing 3·3 in.

Common in England and south of Scotland, rather scarcer in Wales and rare in North Scotland. Does not visit Ireland.

THE MEADOW PIPIT Anthus pratensis (Linnæus)

Bleak and dreary moorlands, or wide wind-swept marshes and water meadows form the haunts of this bird at all seasons of the year. Hatched in a neat nest, placed on the ground and carefully concealed under a tussock of grass, the young Meadow Pipit is assiduously fed by both its parents on insects, and his cradle would be most difficult to discover were it not that the parents, in their anxiety, hover round the spot calling out "peet, peet" in a plaintive and pained manner. The nest is made of grass and bents lined with finer grass and hair, and the clutch usually consists of six eggs, which are of a uniform brownish grey colour, frequently mottled or clouded with a darker shade and having sometimes a narrow black hair streak at their larger end. Several broods are reared during the season. After quitting the nest, they remain about their home, feeding on insects or small seeds and joining in flocks with the Wagtails and others of their own kind. 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. But on a winter's day, when the south-wester blows up the clouds and sweeps the rain across the desolate meadows, they seem equally happy and at home, and rising at one's feet from the shelter of a tussock fly off to another shelter, their "peet, peet" adding a harmonious touch of life to the discordant elements. In spring our summer visitors return, and then we may watch him as, full of energy, he rises some distance into the air and gradually descends with fluttering wings and outspread tail, singing his somewhat feeble song.

The adult is olive brown above, each feather having a darker centre, except on the rump and upper tail coverts; wing coverts margined with white; there is a narrow white eye stripe. Under parts buffish white streaked with brown on the throat, breast, and flanks. In autumn both old and young are much more buff coloured. The sexes are alike Length 5·75 in.; wing 3·1 in.

THE RED-THROATED PIPIT Anthus cervinus (Pallas)

Less than half-a-dozen individuals of this species, which breed in the far north of Europe and Asia, and winter in tropical Africa, have visited us, and with one exception they have all been taken on the shores of Kent or Sussex.

It closely resembles the Meadow Pipit, but in the breeding season the sides of the neck and breast in both sexes are vinous chestnut. All our examples, however, have been immature birds, which are extremely difficult to distinguish from our common species.

The feathers of the rump form, however, the most distinctive character in this species; they have dark centres like those of the mantle, but in the Meadow Pipit, as we pointed out above, these feathers are of a uniform olive brown. Length 5·8 in.; wing 3·5 in.

THE TAWNY PIPIT Anthus campestris (Linnæus)

The Tawny Pipit is a regular summer visitor to the sand-dunes and arid wastes of Europe, breeding in some numbers no farther from our shores than the north of France and Holland. It winters in Africa. To England it has only been a scarce straggler, single examples having been obtained in autumn on our southern and eastern shores from the Scilly Islands as far north as Yorkshire. During the last year or two there is evidence that it may have bred in Sussex, adult pairs of birds having remained about the same spot during part of the summer till they were shot.

The general colour is pale sandy brown with dull darker centres to the feathers. Two outer pairs of tail feathers white with brown margins to their inner webs, rest of the tail brown. Under parts warm buff, slightly striated with brown on the breast and paler on the belly. Length 6·5 in.; wing 3·6 in.

RICHARD'S PIPIT Anthus richardi, Vieillot

This eastern species breeds in Turkestan, Siberia, and Mongolia, but a large number yearly visit Europe during the autumn migration. In England a good many examples have been obtained, and closer observation may prove it to be a regular autumn migrant along our eastern and southern seaboard, as it is abundant on Heligoland every year. It has occurred once in Scotland and once in Ireland.

It is a large bird and may be distinguished by its long hind claw; when seen on the wing it appears very dark. The feathers of the upper parts are sandy brown with dark centres, but the rump is of a nearly uniform brown. Wing coverts tipped with reddish buff. Outer pair of tail feathers white with dusky margins to the inner webs, in the next pair the dusky margin is much broader, remainder of the tail feathers very dark brown. Chin white, margined with brown spots; breast buffish and thickly spotted; belly white. Length 7·25 in.; wing 3·75 in.

THE WATER PIPIT Anthus spipoletta (Linnæus)

The Water Pipit breeds in the Alps, Pyrenees, and other mountain ranges of Central Europe, migrating in winter to the shores of the Mediterranean. A few odd stragglers have been taken in this country both in the spring and autumn migrations.

The upper parts are of a uniform greyish brown; under parts buff, paler on the belly and browner on the flanks. There is a short light stripe immediately above the eye. The tail feathers are brown, except the outer vane of the exterior pair and the tips of the second pair, which are white. This forms at all seasons and ages a mark by which this species may be distinguished from the Rock Pipit.

THE ROCK PIPIT Anthus obscurus (Latham)

This species, which very closely resembles the Meadow Pipit but is slightly larger, is found along the rocky coasts of our islands.

It is strictly an inhabitant of the sea-shore and never wanders inland, but finds its food, which consists of flies, small mollusca, and marine insects, on the beach and rocks or among the rough tangle of sea-weed left dry by the retreating tide. The nest is placed on the ground, in some crevice of the rocks, or in a grassy bank, and the eggs, large for the size of the bird, are pale greenish grey, uniformly and densely mottled with olive brown. This species is largely migratory, and after the breeding season wanders round the whole of our coasts, inhabiting in winter the salt marshes and estuaries of our eastern and southern counties, as well as the more rocky portions of our shores.

Its song and call-note are almost indistinguishable from that of the Meadow Pipit, and if the nest be approached it flies restlessly from rock to rock, calling out all the time, but does not hover round in the air like the commoner species.

Birds from Scandinavia, Denmark, and the Baltic are distinguishable from our form, which is also found on the adjacent coast of France, in being of a vinous tint on the breast during the breeding season. The Scandinavian form may be found sparingly on our shores during migration.

The sexes are alike in plumage. The general colour above is olive brown with dark centres to the feathers; the under parts are greenish buff streaked with brown on the breast and flanks. The tail is brown, except the outer webs of the tail feathers, which are smoky grey, and this forms an easy characteristic by which this species may be distinguished from the Water Pipit, which it otherwise closely resembles. Length 6·25 in.; wing 3·5 in.

THE GOLDEN ORIOLE Oriolus galbula, Linnæus

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 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.

It breeds commonly over most of Europe, throughout France, Germany, and Russia, but is scarce along the countries bordering the North Sea.

The nest is suspended from the fork of a branch of some tree, usually in woods, and is a carefully woven structure of strips of bark and grass stems. The eggs are white with a few large black spots.

The male is golden yellow all over, except for the quills, wing coverts, and lores, which are black. The central pair of tail feathers are black, all the rest being black with yellow tips. Bill red. Legs lead grey. The female is greenish yellow and has the under parts striated with greyish. The young is still duller in colour than the female. Length 9·5 in.; wing 6 in.

THE GREAT GREY SHRIKE Lanius excubitor, Linnæus

Every autumn towards the end of October a certain number of these birds regularly visit us, occurring more commonly on our eastern coasts, but having nevertheless been taken in most of our counties. In habits it resembles its small congener the Red-backed Shrike, and may be seen sitting on some point of vantage from which it may dash off to attack its unsuspecting victims.

This species, or various races of it, breed throughout Northern and Central Europe and Asia. It migrates on the approach of winter from the more northerly quarters, but its wanderings rarely extend to the shores of the Mediterranean.

The male is pearl grey in general colour, lighter on the scapulars; forehead and a line over each eye white; lores and ear coverts black. Wings black, with white tips and bases to the secondaries and inner primaries. Tail feathers black with white tips, except the outermost, which are pure white. Under parts white. Bill and legs black. Length 9·5 in.; wing 4·3 in. Female duller with faint greyish bars on the under parts.

THE LESSER GREY SHRIKE Lanius minor, J. F. Gmelin

The main home of this species, of which only a few examples on migration have been taken in this country, is South and Central Europe as far west as the valley of the Rhone.

In habits it does not differ from its congeners, and is excessively savage and pugnacious, especially during the nesting season.

It roughly resembles the preceding species in plumage, but may be distinguished by its smaller size, black forehead, and the white bases to the tail feathers and primaries, which latter form a broad bar. An unfailing characteristic, however, of this species, distinguishing it from all other Shrikes, is the wing formula; the first or bastard primary being very short, while the second nearly equals the third and longest primary. Length 8·5 in.; wing 4·6 in.

THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE Lanius collurio, Linnæus

Arriving during the early part of May, this species is fairly common in our southern and south-eastern counties and in Wales during the summer months. In the northern counties its appearances are irregular, and on one occasion only has it been seen in Ireland.

One can somehow feel but little affection for this fine but cruel bird; it is not his fault to be in that stage of evolution in which as an insect-feeder he aims at higher prey than that with which he is successfully able to deal. Bold and pugnacious, he sits on the top of some thick hawthorn hedge, dashing down from his point of observation on some mouse, bird, or lizard nearly as large as himself.

After a tussle the hapless victim is carried off and impaled on a thorn near its captor's nest, to be eaten at a future time; it is these larders of impaled victims that have earned for him the name of Butcher Bird. Beetles, bees, and insects of all kinds are also included in his menu, and young half-fledged birds are considered a great delicacy.

The nest is a large and loose structure of twigs, roots, and moss; it is lined with hair and wool, and placed about eight or ten feet from the ground in a thick hawthorn hedge. The eggs are usually of a pale green colour, with a zone or band of olive brown mottlings round the larger end. In some districts a variety is found in which the ground colour is pinkish and the markings reddish brown. The Shrike has no song, but makes a great variety of harsh noises and chucklings as it sits on its post of vantage, bending down and flirting his tail at the same time. The call-note is a harsh "chack." Like the Swift, Cuckoo, and several other species, he does not stay with us long, but having reared his brood, the whole family wander south, and soon leave our shores.

The adult male has the crown, nape, and upper tail coverts grey; frontal band, lores, and ear coverts black; back chestnut; tail feathers black, all except the central pair with white bases; under parts rose buff.

The female has the upper parts brown, mantle rufous, with small narrow black crescentic bars on the feathers; under parts greyish white barred like the mantle. The young bird resembles the female, but is more barred. Length 7 in.; wing 3·7 in.

THE WOODCHAT Lanius pomeranus, Sparrman