104 BIRD LIFE IN WILD WALES 



the birds when so engaged, but it is quite impossible 

 to follow the action of the bill with the naked eye. 

 The Green Woodpecker does not make this peculiar 

 sound. 



April i^th. — G. V. told me that yesterday he found 

 three Long-tailed Tits' nests, in two of which the 

 birds were sitting hard. He also told me of a good 

 Snipe bog on the E. hills, where we may probably go 

 next Saturday. He introduced me to the Vicar of a 

 neighbouring parish, who is very fond of bird life. 

 He showed me a Kingfisher's Qgg that his garden 

 boy took close here last year — one of ten. We 

 walked down to the spot, but they do not appear to 

 be there this year. We saw many Sandpipers and 

 a Heron. I daresay that there is a nest of this 

 last-named species somewhere close at hand, for I 

 constantly see one a mile further down stream. A 

 single Heron's nest is not of such rare occurrence 

 as some people think. I remember one such in 

 Bucks several years ago. 



In the Vicar's garden is a Wren's nest with no 

 lining, a Robin sitting hard, a deserted Missel 

 Thrush's nest with a brace of eggs, two pairs of 

 Chaffinches building, and a solitary Rook's nest in 

 the churchyard. We noticed three Rooks scrimmaging 

 round it. In the afternoon we started for a place 

 called " The Three Trees " (not a " pub ") on the top 

 of a range of hills close by, to inspect a nest. The 

 person who reported this nest said that when flushed 

 the bird feigned lameness in order to entice him 

 away. I was somewhat puzzled at this information, 

 because it was too early for Meadow Pipits or Sky- 



