200 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



usually followed by one or two years when Redwings are notice- 

 ably scarce. During frost I have seen a bird by the roadside 

 tearing up the grass in a frenzy of hunger, but its efforts to find 

 food failed, and next morning it was dead. On another occasion 

 a flock with Fieldfares were dragging from the ground the 

 frozen root-tops left in the field, and were so tame that I could 

 almost touch them. Although the Redwing is said not to eat 

 berries until forced by hunger, I have seen birds which had 

 just reached the Yorkshire coast attacking the berries of the 

 sea-buckthorn. 



The Redwing is a nocturnal migrant, its arrival is usually first 

 noticed by its soft flight call — see-ip^ even heard when it passes 

 over busy towns. On the Yorkshire coast I have seen the birds 

 rise in a flock at dusk, mount to a great height, and then when 

 almost invisible make off in a southerly direction. Numbers 

 of Redwings are killed by raptorial birds which accompany 

 the flocks ; Mr. J. A. Dockray, when punting on the Dee, saw 

 a Redwing escape from a stooping Peregrine by alighting on 

 the water, and after the Falcon had sheered off it came to rest 

 on the punt gun. When a feeding flock is disturbed, the birds 

 fly off one by one, and at night they roost in evergreens and 

 plantations, but the normal habits are those of ground birds. 

 The strong flight is fairly rapid, a series of quick wing beats 

 with short intervals when the wings are closed ; the flocks 

 move in loose formation. When feeding the call is a soft chup^ 

 and at the roost combined twittering warbles are usual, but the 

 song is seldom heard at its best in Britain. Shortly before 

 departure a few begin to sing — a " musical babble, very gently 

 warbled," as a friend aptly describes it ; it is quieter and more 

 sustained than that of the Song-Thrush, and is interrupted by 

 a chirr, like the cry of the Mistle-Tbrush toned down and 

 subdued ; the notes have a guttural ring. A deep puck 

 corresponds with the tschnk of the Song-Thrush. 



The Redwing has been frequently reported as nesting with 



