A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



132. Shoveler. Spatula clypeata (Linn.). 

 One or two pairs of this handsome duck 



nest regularly in the neighbourhood of the 

 Tring reservoirs every year, the nest often 

 being in the reeds or herbage at their margin, 

 although it is occasionally placed in an adjoin- 

 ing field. In August, 1882, a shoveler was 

 killed on the river Lea near Wheathampstead, 

 while a fine drake was accidentally killed near 

 Welwyn on April loth, 1885, and was pre- 

 served for Mr. G. J. Buller. 



133. Pintail. Dafila acuta (Linn.). 



This bird is said to have occurred at Tring 

 on several occasions, but I can only find two 

 actual records of it there. A male was shot 

 on February I4th, 1892, and a female on 

 October 3rd following. The only other re- 

 corded occurrence of this handsome species in 

 Hertfordshire is of one which was obtained 

 at Radwell near Hitchin in 1877. 



134. Teal. Nettion crecca (Linn.). 



This little duck is a common visitor to 

 Tring, and occasionally nests there ; in fact, 

 the nest and birds mounted in the Natural 

 History Museum at South Kensington were 

 obtained there. It also occurs in varying 

 numbers on Elstree reservoir. Mr. Lucas 

 informed me that he had often seen teal at 

 Oughton Head near Hitchin, but had never 

 been able to ascertain whether they actually 

 nested there. During the winter of 187879 

 this species was plentiful at Sacombe, while it 

 has also been recorded at various times from 

 Hoddesdon, Odsey and Royston. 



135. Garganey. Querquedula circia (Linn.). 

 Apparently in former times this bird was 



not an uncommon visitor to the Tring reser- 

 voirs, but nowadays it seems to have quite 

 given up going there. In March, 1 849, four 

 males and four females appeared on one of the 

 reservoirs and remained for some days, seven 

 of them eventually being shot. Later in the 

 same month seven more appeared, but only 

 stayed for a short time. Mr. Littleboy was 

 also informed by Miss Williams that this duck 

 was an occasional visitor there. The only 

 other place that I can ascertain has been visited 

 by this bird is Bennington, where one was 

 shot during Easter week in 1879. 



136. Wigeon. Mareca penelope (Linn.). 

 The wigeon is a frequent visitor to the 



reservoirs at Tring and Elstree, and to the 

 former it sometimes comes in considerable 

 numbers. It has also occurred at Garston 

 and Otterspool, both on the river Colne near 

 Watford, and in 1897 one was shot near 

 Hitchin. 



137. Red -crested Pochard. Netta rufina 



(Pallas). 



The Hon. Walter Rothschild informed Mr. 

 Littleboy that a female of this rare duck was 

 obtained at Tring in September, 1887. 



138. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.). 



This duck, which is only to be found 

 breeding in comparatively few counties in 

 England, nests at Tring. When and how 

 the bird first became resident there I do not 

 know, but of late years about a dozen pairs at 

 least may be found there every summer. It 

 is rather a late nester, its eggs being seldom 

 found much before the second week in May. 

 During the winter its numbers are usually 

 considerably increased, and it stays until driven 

 away by the water being frozen over. This 

 species has been obtained at various times at 

 Garston, Hoddesdon, Weston near Stevenage, 

 and Munden near Watford. 



139. Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata (Leach). 



This handsome duck has like the pochard 

 taken up its abode at the Tring reservoirs, 

 and although it is perhaps not so plentiful as 

 that species several pairs nest there annually. 

 The tufted duck is also a late nester, often 

 not laying till quite the end of May or begin- 

 ning of June. In 1887 a male of this species 

 paired with a pochard and reared young at the 

 reservoirs, where a hybrid between the two 

 was obtained in November, 1891. Tufted 

 ducks have been obtained at Kimpton Hoo 

 near Welwyn, Munden, Oughton Head near 

 Hitchin, and Hoddesdon. 



140. Scaup-Duck. Fuligula marila (Linn.). 



The only definite records I can find of this 

 bird in Hertfordshire are of a female shot on 

 the Ashe near Easneye by Mr. T. F. Buxton, 

 on January 22nd, 1881, and a specimen ob- 

 tained at the Tring reservoirs in October, 

 1884. In addition to the above, there is a 

 pair of scaups at Munden, which were killed 

 in that neighbourhood probably between 1 840 

 and 1850. 



141. Goldeneye. Clangula glaucion (Linn.). 



The goldeneye in winter often visits the 

 Tring reservoirs in considerable numbers, but 

 the birds that come are usually females and 

 young birds, old drakes seldom appearing. In 

 fact, I have only one record of an old male 

 in full plumage being seen at Tring, the bird 

 in question having been obtained there in the 

 early part of 1849. The late Dr. Brett 

 informed Mr. Littleboy that a pair of these 

 ducks was shot in the Bushey meadows some 

 years ago. 



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