A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



described it under the name of Motacilla 

 regulus.) 



Frequently seen in winter, but also breeding 

 wherever a sufficient number of conifers invite 

 its residence. The nest hangs beneath the 

 extremity of a branch of fir, cedar, or rarely 

 a yew, but Mr. A. H. Cocks noticed in May 

 1883 a nest, the young of which were 

 hatched and reared in the ivy on a tree in his 

 garden. It was not placed as usual at the 

 extremity of a branch, but in the ivy on the 

 stem, immediately underneath one of the 

 largest branches. 



1 8. Firecrest. Regulus ignicapillm (C. L. 



Brehm). 



This irregular and rare visitor to our islands 

 must be included in the birds of Buckingham- 

 shire on account of the following occurrence, 

 which we quote with Mr. Alfred Heneage 

 Cocks' own words : ' In the sixties, prob- 

 ably about 1863 and most likely during one 

 of the periods of school holidays, my brother 

 noticed a little bird which kept flitting about 

 a branchy tree in our garden at Great Marlow 

 without flying away from it. My brother 

 began throwing stones at it, and seeing what 

 a pretty bird it was, I joined him. Shortly 

 afterwards the gardener joined, and presently 

 he succeeded in knocking it over. Fortu- 

 nately I had it stuffed, but it was not until a 

 number of years later that I discovered it was 

 a firecrest.' 



19. Chiffchaff. Phylloscopus rufus (Bechstein). 



Common in suitable localities, breeding in 

 wooded gardens, parks and woods, and also 

 passing through during the autumnal migra- 

 tion. 



20. Willow-Warbler. Phyl/oscopus trochilus 



(Linn.). 



Generally distributed in summer, and as 

 common as the chiffchaff. Migrants pass 

 through in autumn. We have not noticed 

 either this species or the chiffchaff in the 

 winter months, nor even after the end of 

 October. 



21. Wood -Warbler. Phylloscopus sibilatrix 



(Bechstein). 



The wood-wren or wood~warbler bears its 

 name rightly, for it breeds only where woods, 

 principally of beech and oak, are found. In 

 such localities however it is generally com- 

 mon in the county. We have found it in 

 many of the beech woods in the Chiltern 

 Hills. Mr. Grossman writes us : ' This 

 species was formerly and is no doubt still 

 fairly plentiful in Burnham Beeches, and I 



have heard it in many of the woods between 

 that place and Ashley Green on the borders 

 of the county.' The Rev. Hubert D. 

 Astley calls it common near Wendover. 



22. Reed - Warbler. Acrocephalus streperus 



(Vieillot). 



Not rare ; and generally abundant, where 

 reed abounds. On the Thames, the rivers 

 Ouse and Colne, the reservoirs near Halton, 

 and in the osiers on large ponds. The eggs 

 of the cuckoo are frequently found in the 

 reed-warbler's nest. The nest is not always 

 placed among the reeds, but sometimes some 

 distance away from the water in bushes in 

 gardens. 



23. Sedge-Warbler. Acrocephalus phragmitis 



(Bechstein). 



Found commonly in most parts of the 

 county where banks of streams, rivers and 

 ponds with a luxuriant vegetation afford 

 opportunities for its nesting, and sometimes 

 in thick hedgerows with nettles, willow- 

 bushes and such-like localities, mostly near 

 the water. 



24. Grasshopper -Warbler. Locustella ntevia 



(Boddaert). 



Generally distributed, though apparently 

 nowhere numerous. The late Lionel Wigles- 

 worth observed it near Castlethorpe. We have 

 seen eggs from near Aylesbury, and heard its 

 curious song near Halton and Mentmore. 

 Mr. Grossman found it on Farnham 

 Common, Clark Kennedy records it from 

 Chesham, High Wycombe and Drayton 

 Beauchamp. 



25. Savi's Warbler. Locustella luscinioides 



(Savi). 



In Saunders' Manual of British Birds, ed. 2 

 (1899), p. 92, we read : 'There is some evi- 

 dence that this species was noticed in May, 

 1897, in the Humber district, as well as near 

 Olney, Bucks.' E. Hartert wrote to Mr. 

 Saunders for more information, and the latter 

 kindly replied as follows : ' In reply to your 

 inquiry about the supposed occurrence of 

 Savi's warbler near Olney, Bucks, I have 

 to say that my informant was Mr. C. J. 

 Wilson, M.B.O.U., an old friend of mine 

 and an exceedingly good field-ornithologist. 

 The bird, the note, the locality, all tended 

 so strongly to show that the bird was a Savi's 

 warbler that I put it in print. There is no 

 other record.' One of us wrote to Mr. 

 Wilson himself, and this gentleman assures 

 us that he is fully convinced that the ' Savi's 

 warbler is a just record,' as the bird was close 

 to him for some minutes. 



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