129 



CHAPTER YlII 



MOVEMENTS OF LONDOX BIRDS 



Migration as seen in London — Swallows in the parks— Field- 

 fares — A flock of wild geese — Autumn movements of resident 

 species — ^AYood-pigeons — A curious habit— Dabchicks and 

 moorhens— Crows and rooks— The Palace daws — Starlings 

 — Robins— A Tower robin and the Tower sparrows— Passage 

 birds in the parks— Small birds wintering in London — 

 Influx of birds during severe frosts — Occasional visitors — 

 The black-lieaded gull — A winter scene in St. James's Park. 



The seasonal movements of the strict migrants 

 are little noticed in London ; tliere are few such 

 species that visit, fewer still that remain any 

 time with us. And when they come we scarcely 

 see them : they are not like the residents, 

 reacted on and modified by their surroundings, 

 made tame, ready to feed from our hands, to 

 thrust themselves at all times upon our attention. 

 Nevertheless we do occasionally see something 

 of these shyer wilder ones, the strangers and 

 passengers ; and in London, as in the rural 

 districts, it is the autumnal not the vernal 



