A HISTORY OF WARWICKSHIRE 



3. Redwing. Turdus i/iacus, Linn. 



There is not apparently any diminution in 

 the number of redwings which arrive in the 

 autumn, though when all hedge fruit has 

 been consumed they seem to depart. They 

 never, so far as the present writer has observed, 

 feed on snails or field roots like the song- 

 thrush, blackbird, or fieldfare. 



4. Fieldfare. Turdus falaris, Linn. 



A regular winter visitor to the county of 

 Warwick. The fieldfare is a much more 

 omnivorous feeder than its congeners, often in 

 severe winters it has recourse to fields of 

 turnips and other succulent roots, and does 

 considerable damage. 



5. White's Thrush. Turdus vartus, Pallas. 

 A bird of this species, which had been shot 



at Packington, was brought to Mr. Peter 

 Spicer of Leamington, the son of the veteran 

 taxidermist of Warwick, for preservation. 

 The occurrence was duly recorded in the 

 Field of November 5, 1898. 



6. Blackbird. Turdus merula, Linn. 



From the observations of many years I am 

 confident that the blackbird seeks for its food 

 in winter almost wholly on the ground in 

 woods, coppices, hedgerows, brakes, or shrub- 

 berries, where it feeds chiefly on small gastero- 

 poda and coleoptera. But that fruit in great 

 variety is consumed all through the summer 

 admits of no doubt. 



7. Ring-Ousel. Turdus torquatus, Linn. 

 Known in Warwickshire as a passing visitor 



in spring and autumn, but of very uncertain 

 occurrence. It has however been too often 

 noted to demand a record of its appearances, 

 which have not been confined to any part of 

 the county but spread over the whole of it. 



8. Wheatear. Saxicola cenanthe (Linn.) 



A regular visitor in no great numbers in 

 spring and autumn. There are two distinct 

 varieties, a small one, which arrives early, 

 and a larger one coming two or three weeks 

 later. It is probable that the latter breeds 

 occasionally in the county. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Birmingham the wheatear is 

 recorded by Mr. Chase as common in spring, 

 but whether the large or small variety has 

 been noticed is not mentioned. 



9. Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra (Linn.) 



A common and indeed abundant summer 

 visitor, breeding freely in the meadows bor- 

 dering the streams as well as in the open 

 fields. 



10. Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.) 

 A much less abundant bird than the last, 



and resident. It breeds most commonly in 

 rough stony places, and the nest is generally 

 carefully concealed. From the circumstance 

 of pairs being commonly seen together in 

 winter it seems probable that the Stonechat, 

 like many other birds, pairs for life. 



1 1 . Redstart. Ruticilla phcenicurus (Linn.) 

 An early summer visitor to Warwickshire, 



and generally distributed in the county. The 

 nest is always in a hole in a wall or tree, 

 and far enough in to be out of sight. 



[Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica 

 (Linn.) 



Has occurred near Birmingham and is re- 

 corded in Yarrell's History of British Birds, 

 i. 322.] 



12. Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula (Linn.) 

 Though common and resident the robin is 



not abundant. 



13. Nightingale. Daulias luscinia (Linn.) 



A well known summer migrant to the 

 greater part of the county, but showing a 

 decided preference for the low lying alluvial 

 tracts. In the Birmingham district it is 

 however stated by Mr. Chase to be numerous 

 and to breed. Yet Mr. Steele Elliott speaks 

 of it as rare at Sutton Coldfield, indeed he 

 only gives one instance of its appearance 

 there, namely on August II, 1895. 



14. Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea (Bechstein) 

 Common in every hedge-bottom and brake 



throughout the summer. 



15. Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca 



(Linn.) 



A far less common summer migrant than 

 the last named, and frequenting trees and 

 bushes rather than the rubbish in the bottom 

 of a hedge. The nest is a beautiful struc- 

 ture, thin and fragile looking, but strong, 

 and often placed some distance from the 

 ground. 



1 6. Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla (Linn.) 



A common summer migrant, arriving early, 

 and generally distributed, though much more 

 frequently seen and heard in the low-lying 

 parts, especially in the valleys of the Avon 

 and other streams. It is quite a mimic, but 

 has a very sweet, wild, but intermittent song 

 of its own, which can never be mistaken for 

 that of any other bird. 



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