21 G W. BICKERTON — NOTES ON BIRDS 



from anyone here, I have come to the conclusion that it is 

 a regular and by no means infrequent visitor to the river- 

 valley in our district, both on the autumn and spring 

 migrations, if indeed its apparently leisurely movements up 

 and down our valley are to be called migrations. I first 

 saw three specimens as stated on November 18th, and since 

 that date I have seen other specimens on November 25th, 

 December 23rd and 26th, and on the 6th of January, 1907. 

 Apparently it tlieu disappeared from the district, but I was 

 pleased to see it again on the return migration on 24th March, 

 1907, near Eickmansworth, and again in the selfsame spot on 

 the 7th of April. Evidently, therefore, it is a fairly common 

 winter visitor with us, and I hope that other observers who may 

 be more fortunately placed than myself may take note of its 

 occurrence. To me the bird has been not only one of the most 

 interesting visitors, but also one of the great surprises of the 

 year. I may add that in Mr. Grossman's list of Hertfordshire 

 birds (1899) he refers to the green sandpiper as follows "• — 

 " A regular visitor on migration to the Tring Reservoirs, and 

 also to Ickleford, near Hitchin." It is worth noting also that 

 the nesting-haliits of the green sandpiper show a remarkable 

 difference from those of all other members of the family, its nest 

 being built, to quote Mr. Howard Saunders again, in " old 

 squirrels' dreys, or in the nests of song-thrushes, missel-thrushes, 

 blackbirds, jays, and ringdoves, on moss-covered stumps, broken- 

 down trees, and spines heaped upon branches of firs, at eleva- 

 tions reaching to 35 feet, but always in proximity to pools." It 

 has, however, never been known to nest in the British Isles, 

 although many experienced ornithologists believe that it does 

 nest with us occasionally. 



A third member of the family, the purple sandpiper (Totanus 

 striatus), is reported from Hertford by Mr. W. Graveson, but no 

 details are given. Should this record be confirmed it will form 

 a new sj^ecies to be added to our county list. 



Redshank (Totanus calidris). — Last year I reported the all 

 Ijut absolute certainty that at least one pair, and probably two 

 pairs, of these birds had nested in 1905 near Watford. I kept 

 a sharp look out for them in the spring of 1906, and on April 

 23rd I was delighted to see a pair of them back on the same 

 ground. I was in hopes of seeing nest and eggs in due coiu'se, but 

 to my great disappointment I did not see the birds again all the 

 spring and summer, though I looked carefully for them all through. 



Grulls. — Last year seems to have been an imusual one for gulls 

 visiting Hertfordshire. Mr. J. R. Ismay informs me that he 

 saw one of tlie smaller species of gulls (probably Larus 

 ridibundus) at Hunt on Bridge in August ; Mr. A. W. Dickinson 

 (New Farm, St. Albans) reports three gulls (probably herring- 

 gulls) following the plough in the autumn, about November ; on 

 December 2nd I saw three (species uncertain) near Croxley 

 Mills ; and on December 30th I saw a herring-gull at Tolpits. 



