290 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



invariably reintroduce us to the glad wild lay of the 

 Missel-thrush. The Wren is a very irregular singer 

 yet; but the Starling resumes his music, whilst the 

 Yellow Bunting and the Greenfinch during the first 

 fortnight lose theirs for the winter. The Chiffchaff 

 also is an irregular singer during August. 



In September we have migration once more in 

 full progress. Day by day our summer visitors are 

 now deserting us; birds that spend the winter gre- 

 garious are closing up fast into flocks; Pipits, Twites, 

 and other moorland species come down to the low- 

 land fields; the Swallows and Martins congregate 

 into those vast companies that invariably herald 

 their departure. Song Thrushes in great numbers 

 frequent the turnip-fields, as also do Meadow Pipits 

 and Hedge Accentors; by the end of the month 

 Missel-thrushes are in flocks upon the fields, as also 

 are Starlings and Sparrows. Now the Ring-ouzels 

 speed away to the south, and the Blackbird shows 

 a far too unwelcome partiality for the fruit-garden. 

 All the Warblers are migrating fast; the Rooks and 

 Jays complete their moult, as also do the Chaffinch, 

 the Redpole, and the Yellow Bunting. October, 

 nut-brown October, finally clears away the last of 

 our summer visitors, and brings us bird guests from 

 the far north-east. One of the most familiar of these 

 is the Redwing; they return with pleasing regularity 

 to their old haunts. Now the coppices begin to 



