166 WILD BIRDS 



are many other bird visitors through late autumn 

 and winter days to this scrap of coast. 



GOLDCRESTS 



The goldcrests are plentiful through the year 

 wherever are fir woods and evergreen plantations. 

 I cannot think of a place with a few fir trees where I 

 have not seen them. In East Anglia and the West 

 country, in the South and the North and in the Mid- 

 lands, I can see and hear a goldcrest any day in the 

 year. But November brings in a crowd of gold- 

 crests from the north or east of Europe, and many 

 of the birds in the shrubberies and fir plantations 

 then are travellers that have lately reached England. 

 Among them may be a firecrest more often than we 

 think, for the firecrest can only be known from the 

 goldcrests by the light streak over the eye and its 

 slightly brighter crown. Happily the gold and the 

 fire crests are so minute and the distinction between 

 them is so slight to the eye, that they escape the 

 absurd person who imagines he has served some good 

 end when he shoots a rare bird and establishes a 

 " record " for the county. 



Lovely little things these goldcrests are to watch 

 in the birch trees now when the leaves are fast 

 thinning. Until the goldcrest is seen low down in 

 a birch tree, we hardly notice what an important 

 feat the hover is with him, and how often he uses 

 it in his search of food. The birch trees in November 

 must be full of goldcrest food, though, however 

 closely we look at the fine twigs and at the falling 



