82 Pictures of Bird Life 



in a thick bed of nettles, and by visiting tliem daily tor 

 some time they became so familiarised to my presence that 

 I had no difficulty in getting a series of photographs in 

 different positions. 



^Nlost birds, it will ])e found, approach their nest in the 

 same direction. Small birds like the AVarblers generally creep 

 through the thickest of tlie surrounding vegetation in mouse- 

 like fashion, and slip quietly and silently into the nest from the 

 back. A^erv often the first intimation of the approach of 

 the parent comes from the young birds, which suddenly pop 

 up then* heads and open their beaks suggestively. Some- 

 times from your hiding-place you can see a leaf or spray 

 quiver as the bird noiselessly makes her way along. Some, 

 again, i\y openly from the top of one bush to another, like 

 AVhinchats. and others keep up a constant wailing, querulous 

 note like ^^"illow-wrens. But after a little watching you 

 will nearly always find there is some particular branch on 

 which the birds perch every time. The camera can then be 

 pointed and focussed on the place, all ready for the next 

 opportunity. 



This particular pair of AVhitethroats invariably used a 

 bramble-stalk which grew up diagonally, and at the foot 

 of which the nest was placed. Starting at the top. they 

 always crept down the stalk, gradually assuming a more 

 perpendicular })osition till the nest was reached, when, 

 stooping down to feed the young birds, their tails pointed 

 straight upwards. 15y focussing different parts of this bramble, 

 I obtained a ^'ariety of interesting positions, including one 



