WITH THE BIRDS IN WALES 9? 



and the Heronry which the Colonel had told me 

 of. There is always a great charm about exploring 

 unknown country, and to-day was particularly beau- 

 tiful and spring-like. I saw no summer migrants 

 during the walk there; they appear to be rather late 

 this year, though of course they would be later here 

 for the most part than down south. Passing through 

 the sleepy little town of B., after another hour's walk 

 I reached C. station, which I left on my right, going 

 through the fields to the banks of the river, which is 

 here a stream of fair breadth, but only a bubbling 

 hill-stream up at A., where we were the other day 

 with the Ravens. Alders for the most part fringe the 

 banks. 



Pursuing the banks of the river then for some two 

 miles or more, with the Dippers for company, I 

 reached a wood where several Jays were much in 

 evidence, many Ring Doves too, and to crown all, a 

 pair of Buzzards, which were flapping about just 

 above the trees on the edge of the wood. This 

 greatly pleased me, but I made no great search for 

 their home, though I knew that it could not be far 

 off; but I determined on some future occasion to 

 have a great search for it. A little further on, in a 

 large wood running right down to the banks of the 

 stream, I found the Heronry, quite a small estab- 

 lishment, consisting at present of seven nests, though 

 later on in the season there will be, I think, a few 

 more. The Herons had just begun to lay, three being 

 the greatest number of eggs in a nest. The birds 

 did not keep much above the nests, as they will when 

 incubation is well advanced or when they have young. 

 8 



