A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



again to its old haunts. At the beginning 

 of the season the, blackcap is often to be 

 heard practising its song. 



The willow-warbler is a great garden 

 favourite, and it is hard to imagine a more 

 attractive little bird, with its joyous, laughing 

 notes. It may be seen flitting from bush 

 to bush, pausing to hover in the air over its 

 insect prey with the quivering motion of 

 a miniature kestrel. 



The swallow's usual date of arrival is 

 March 21, the sand-martin being recorded 

 two days earlier, and the house-martin a 

 fortnight later. The swallow has always 

 been regarded as the herald of summer, and 

 town and country residents are alike 

 favoured with its presence. The sand- 

 martins, who build in colonies in sandbanks, 

 are equally attractive to watch ; and who 

 does not hail with pleasure the sight of the 

 house-martin with its snow-white " patch," 

 which shows so clearly as the bird flies to 

 and fro and up and down ? 



The garden- warbler waits till April 15, ere 

 it reaches the English shores ; whilst the 

 wood- wren usually precedes it by three days. 



The nightingale, which is due on April 8, 

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