110 BIRD LIFE IN WILD WALES 



to the Rook's nest in the churchyard and found that 

 it contained one egg. This is a late date for a Rook 

 to have just begun to lay. We sawed down the 

 Missel Thrush's nest in the yew, branch and all. 

 One of the two eggs had been taken by something 

 or somebody. To-morrow we go to look for 

 Curlews' nests by " The Three Trees," where about 

 five pairs habitually breed. 



April \yth. — Went out to the little larch plantation 

 in the dingle, where the Mag.'s nest is. I put the 

 bird off, but on examination the nest proved empty, 

 though nearly ready for eggs, I should judge. The 

 Kingfishers have certainly been visiting their old 

 home, for I picked up quite a bunch of their feathers 

 just outside the hole, and I cannot help feeling that 

 these feathers belong to a wretched bird which had 

 been caught by the floods during winter when at 

 roost, for Kingfishers always roost in their old nest- 

 holes. In the afternoon went up to the Black Bog 

 on the C. hills. Flushed two pairs of Snipe, which 

 ought to be nesting shortly. We saw a good many 

 Peewits and Curlews and half a dozen pairs of Wood- 

 larks. One of the latter, I think, we flushed from her 

 eggs, but could not find them ; but we did see four 

 young of this species just out of the nest. The 

 Whinchat arrived here to-day. I saw a Sparrow- 

 hawk quite close to the L. schools. 



April i^th. — Above the house, on the breast of R. 

 hill, both heard and saw a Ring Ouzel. I should say 

 that a pair would nest in the dingle up there. I-'ound 

 the Tawny Owl's nest in a hollow stump, utilised as 

 the corner post of a hedge. This stump was a bare 



