A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



very simple affair of twigs laid criss-cross. 

 The herons again breed in colonies and build 

 their nests on the tops of tall trees. They 

 are large and flat and covered with a soft 

 layer of rushes or dry grass. 



Among the game birds, the partridge 

 prefers a nest w.hich is a slight hollow well 

 protected by tall grass or other herbage, 

 whilst the pheasant also lays her eggs on 

 the ground, likewise using some protection 

 from the coarse grass or a friendly hedge. 

 The grouse finds shelter for her eggs amid 

 the depressions in the heather. 



The sparrow-hawk either appropriates 

 some disused nest for her own, or else erects 

 an affair of sticks and twigs which is placed 

 in some tall tree, and the kestrel if forced 

 to be her own architect, will probably find 

 some hole or niche on a cliff which she will 

 convert into her nursery. 



The missel-thrush is an early builder, and 

 makes a large saucer-shaped nest, which is 

 usually set in the fork of some tree. The 

 nest is made of twigs, dry grasses, wool and 

 lichens, into which some mud is worked; 

 then the inside is lined with fine grasses. 

 The song thrush is one of the cleverest and 

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