IV. 



NOTES ON BIRDS OBSERVED IX HERTFORDSHIRE DU 



THE YEAR 1897. , ^. 



^00 3^ By Alan F. Crossmax, F.L.S. ("JUL 20 1942 

 Read at Watford, 26th April, 1898. \ t ( b r a k 



I AM able this year to add two birds to our list of the Birds of 

 Hertfordshire, and also to add a bird to our breeding species, which, 

 although it has occurred on one occasion in the county, has never 

 before to my knowledge nested here. Of the two birds new to our 

 list one is a bird which has long since been extinct in this country 

 as a breeding species, and which now, alas ! is only an occasional 

 winter visitor. The bird I refer to is the great bustard, which 

 I have no doubt whatever formerly nested in Hertfordshire. The 

 other bird is the Dartford warbler, which is a species one might 

 expect to find in a county which abounds in furze-covered 

 commons, haunts which this bird loves. With regard to the 

 species which in 1897 nested for the first time in Herts, some 

 difference of opinion may arise as to whether it should be admitted 

 to our register. This bird is the little owl. I think, however, 

 that such facts as I shall bring forward when discussing this bird 

 at length will show that it should be so admitted. 



The year 1897 was not remarkable for the occurrence of any 

 very uncommon birds in Herts, with one exception, which I shall 

 mention later, but nevertheless it may, I think, be considered a fairly 

 good one from the ornithologist's point of view. Several species 

 of birds which some few years ago were apparently considered rare 

 in this county can at the present time be put down as regular 

 visitors, and though on the one hand some birds — for example, the 

 stone-curlew — are decidedly decreasing, others such as the hawfinch, 

 wood- wren, and woodpeckers are most certainly in some parts 

 increasing as breeding species. The exception I referred to above 

 is the crane, a specimen of which was shot in Hertfordshire in 

 the spring of 1897. I have seen the remains of this bird, but 

 until I can obtain farther particulars about it I do not propose to 

 mention it more fully in my report. 



The following birds are new to the county list. 



1. Hartford Warbler {Silvia undata). — The Dartford warbler 

 has never previously been recorded in Hertfordshire, although 

 Mr. Harting so long ago as 1866 stated that it had occurred on 

 Stanmore Common, which is almost on the borders of this county. 

 Xo doubt it has actually occuiTed here, although till now it has 

 not been recognized. It will in time probably be found to be 

 a resident, inasmuch as the county abounds in fui'ze-covered 

 commons, to which this bird is extremely partial. The case I have 

 now to record is the identification by Mr. Charles Worte of 

 a pair of Dartford warblers on Common Wood Common, near 



VOL. X. — PART II. 3 



