202 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



They are now seen very frequently in localities far 

 from the water-side, especially during severe weather, 

 when they will visit farm-yards, manure-heaps and 

 sheep-folds. We have seen them with Yellow 

 Buntings about the ricks, and they may often be 

 flushed from the fields and hedges at that season. 

 Although the Reed Bunting is decidedly a resident 

 in the British Islands, subject of course to some 

 local movement, there can be no doubt that many 

 migratory individuals of this species enter our area 

 in autumn from various continental localities. 



The Reed Bunting Is not a very remarkable 

 songster, still his little refrain is a welcome one 

 enough in the haunts he frequents, and in a great 

 many cases is almost the only bird-music the locality 

 can boast. This song commences at the end of 

 March or early in April, and is continued until 

 nearly the close of summer. It is a usual Bunting 

 song, a double note repeated rapidly several times 

 and concluded with a prolonged and harsher one. 

 This is repeated again and again at intervals the 

 livelong day, as the bird sits quietly on a wall, a 

 telegraph-wire, a low bush, a tall weed, or the 

 bending stem of a rush, or willow twig. We have 

 never heard it uttered as the bird flew. It has been 

 stated that the Reed Bunting occasionally mimics 

 the notes of other birds, but we are more disposed 

 to think that whatever resemblance can be traced is 

 due exclusively to coincidence. 



The Reed Bunting pairs almost as soon as it 



