A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



The earliest date I have of its arrival is in 

 1891, when a bird of this species was seen at 

 St. Albans on September I4th. Curiously 

 enough, redwings had stayed at St. Albans as 

 late as April 28th in the preceding spring. 



4. Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris, Linn. 



The fieldfare appears to be much commoner 

 than the redwing, and is more regular in the 

 numbers that visit us. In 1887 this species 

 stayed with us as late as May 8th, when some 

 were seen at Great Gaddesden, while in 1891 

 it was first observed at St. Albans on Septem- 

 ber 1 5th, both of which are rather unusual 

 dates. 



5. Blackbird. Turdus merula. Linn. 



This is a common bird in this as in other 

 counties, and it appears to be more subject 

 to albinism than others of the thrush family, 

 many white and pied varieties having been 

 obtained in different parts of Hertfordshire. 



6. Ring-Ousel. Turdus torquatus, Linn. 

 This bird is an irregular visitor on migra- 

 tion, although probably it occurs more fre- 

 quently than is recorded. The most notice- 

 able fact about its appearance in Hertfordshire 

 is the lateness of the dates on which it has 

 been seen. The various records I have set 

 out below will show how this species, which 

 is only a summer visitor to most parts of the 

 British Isles, does extend its stay with us to a 

 much later date than is usual with most 

 summer migrants. The first mention I have 

 of this bird in Hertfordshire is a note by the 

 late J. E. Littleboy of having seen a ring- 

 ousel at Hunton Bridge on November I4th, 

 and again on the 2ist, in 1877. In the 

 following year he saw a pair at the same 

 place on November 3rd ; while on the 6th 

 of that month one was observed near Riclc- 

 mansworth. In 1881 one of these birds, with 

 one of its wings nearly severed from the 

 body, was picked up under the telegraph 

 wires near Royston on May 20th ; and on 

 October agth Mr. Clutterbuck found one 

 near Stanmore Common, which he forwarded 

 to Mr. Littleboy. A ring-ousel was seen at 

 Chalk Hill near Watford, on September 

 nth, 1882, and again on the I3th ; while 

 on December I2th Mr. Littleboy saw two or 

 more at Caldicott Hill. In 1883 one was 

 shot near Royston on September 1 2th, while 

 a specimen was obtained at Therfield on 

 October 1 3th, and another between Hertford 

 and Ware en the I7th of the same month, a 

 fourth being procured near Hertford on Nov- 

 ember 25th. Mr. Littleboy identified a pair 

 between Hunton Bridge and King's Langley 

 on November I5th, 1885, and saw another 



in the same neighbourhood on September 

 1 6th of the following year. In 1886 two 

 were shot at Tring in July, while a third 

 was obtained there in the following October. 

 I saw a ring-ousel on Berkhamsted Common 

 on April 7th, 1895 ; and Mr. H. S. Rivers 

 identified one at Sawbridgeworth, on the 

 other side of the county, two days later. 

 The last record I have is of a bird seen 

 by my brother on Berkhamsted Common on 

 May 8th, 1896. 



7. Rock-Thrush. Montlcola saxatilis (Linn.). 

 To Hertfordshire belongs the honour of 



producing the first, and indeed only, authenti- 

 cated example of this species that has been 

 recorded in the British Isles. As long ago as 

 May I gth, 1843, a Mr. Joseph Trigg shot a 

 rock-thrush which was sitting on an ash tree 

 at Therfield, in the north of the county. 

 The bird was shown to the late Mr. William 

 Yarrell in the flesh, and was figured by him 

 in his book on British birds, from the plate of 

 which it appears to have been a male. The 

 specimen was skinned by John Norman of 

 Royston, and is, I believe, now in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. F. D'Arcy Newcome of Feltwell 

 Hall, Norfolk. 



8. Wheatear. Saxicola aenanthe (Linn.). 

 This species is a regular visitor on migra- 

 tion, usually appearing towards the end of 

 March, although in 1885 Mr. Henry Lewis 

 identified it at St. Albans on February 22nd. 

 As a breeding species in Hertfordshire I am 

 afraid it has greatly decreased. It is nowadays 

 only found in quite small numbers during the 

 nesting season along the north of the county, 

 where formerly it was very common. Casual 

 pairs are occasionally found nesting in other 

 places, but undoubtedly the open country to 

 the north is its favourite haunt. 



9. Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra (Linn.). 

 The whinchat is found scattered all over 



the county during the summer, frequenting 

 commons and grass fields principally, but not 

 despising railway embankments and other 

 waste places. Usually arrives about the 2ist 

 of April. 



10. Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.). 

 This bird, which is often known as the 



furzechat, may be found in comparative 

 abundance on many of our commons. It is 

 a partial migrant, though in mild winters it 

 does not leave us. Should, however, hard 

 weather come for any length of time, these 

 birds usually leave for the south. The stone- 

 chat is an early nester, as I have seen fully- 

 fledged young birds at the end of April. J 



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