BIRDS. 135 



White-tailed Eagle. This fine bird the only eagle that 



Haliaetus albicilla. has occured in Shropshire, for the 



Golden Eagle has never wandered 



hither has occurred at least eight times in the County, 



most, if not all, being immature. The most recent were 



at Hawkstone, March 1883, Bucknell 1892, and Craven 



Arms, November 7th, 1896. 



SPARROW HAWK B. In spite of unrelenting persecution 

 Accipiter nisus. this beautiful Hawk is certainly the 



most numerous of its tribe in Shrop- 

 shire, and breeds here regularly. It is partial to the 

 neighbourhood of woods, and preys chiefly on small 

 birds, which it seizes as it skims rapidly along the hedge- 

 rows, but alights (usually on the ground) to eat. 



Kite B. Old writers speak of the Kite as of quite common 

 Milvus ictinus. occurrence, but it must now be re- 



garded as very rare. Mr. Beckwith 

 wrote in 1879, that a few still tried to nest near Ludlow, 

 and that the bird had also been seen on the Breidden. 

 One was shot at Wallop, October 25th, 1887, and 

 another at Bucknell, November 4th, 1895. Mrs. Rocke 

 says Kites used to build yearly in Stokes Wood, near 

 Craven Arms, and two or three nests of live birds have 

 been taken there. 



Honey Buzzard B. A rare visitor, recorded about ten 

 Pernis apivorus. times between 1865 and 1872. One 



was shot in the Edge Wood, Sep- 

 tember igth, 1875. Mr. Ashdown received a pair which 

 had been shot in Herefordshire while in the act of 

 devouring a wasp's nest. Their stomachs were full of 

 wasp grubs, and they must previously have rifled a bee's 



