A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



green finches, chaffinches and buntings may 

 be seen patrolling the country-side, whilst 

 hundreds of starlings form themselves into 

 compact little regiments. 



The wild-fowl bunch together in hundreds, 

 assembling at the coast, and flocks of geese 

 may be seen passing overhead in V for- 

 mation. 



The song thrush is one of those birds 

 which moves from district to district, whilst 

 his near relatives, the fieldfare and redwing, 

 are to be found everywhere. The missel- 

 thrush wanders from place to place, the 

 larks and the rooks have all united themselves 

 in family parties. A stroll in the woods 

 will be sure to mean meeting little parties 

 of titmice or goldcrests, and any day the 

 hawfinch may be found in company with 

 the chaffinches or green finches. 



The dear little wren is a faithful winter 

 resident, and like the robin, will indulge 

 in occasional bursts of song. Another sure 

 friend is the dipper who dives so unheedingly 

 into the ice-cold stream, and here and there 

 are parties of siskins, or the lordly heron 

 flapping overhead. 



The solitary woodcock is flushed in winter 

 4 



