BIRDS 



71. Ortolan Bunting. Emberiza hortulana, 



Linn. 



Clark Kennedy states (Birds of Berks and 

 Bucks, p. 177), 'Mr. Sharpe informed me a 

 few years since (i.e. prior to 1868) three 

 birds of this species were shot near Cookham 

 by a man named Mott. These specimens 

 were well identified, but they were unfortu- 

 nately not preserved.' 



72. Reed - Bunting. Emberiza schceniclus, 



Linn. 

 Locally, Black-headed Bunting, Reed-sparrow. 



The first local name is the one by which 

 this bird is usually known on the banks of the 

 Thames, though quite erroneously. The 

 real black-headed bunting (E. melanocephala) 

 is an inhabitant of south-eastern Europe, and 

 has only been recorded in England some four 

 or five times. Our bird is resident and com- 

 mon, breeding in some numbers by the sides 

 of streams and in the water meadows, but in 

 winter often seen feeding with other seed- 

 eating birds round the rick-yard or on arable 

 land. 



73. Snow-Bunting. Plectrapbenax nivalis 



(Linn.). 



One killed by a shoemaker near Cookham 

 passed into the collection of Dr. Bowdler 

 Sharpe, and was recorded by Clark Kennedy 

 (Birds of Berks and Bucks, p. 175), but the date 

 was not forthcoming. There is also one men- 

 tioned in the Eton College Museum Catalogue 

 as having been taken in Berks, but when I 

 went to examine it, it was not to be found ! 

 Two were shot near Reading January, 1795 

 (' Ornith. Bercheria '). Three have been shot 

 at different times near Wallingford (Mr. 

 Newton in lit.). A pair were seen by Mr. 

 Valpy near Enborne church during the win- 

 ter of 1885 (Palmer, 'Birds of Newbury and 

 District '), who also mentions he saw another 

 shot in the neighbourhood ' some years ago.' 



74- Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. 

 Locally, Stare. 



Resident, very numerous and an increasing 

 species I fear becoming rather too plentiful. 

 Although the amount of good they do in 

 destroying vast numbers of insects cannot be 

 denied, yet in early spring I have known 

 acres of young wheat pulled up just as it 

 was showing through the soil. They roosted 

 in some laurel close by, and killed the 

 covert owing to their droppings, so that 

 eventually we were forced to cut it down in 

 order to drive them away. Another crime 

 that can justly be laid to their charge is that 



of driving other birds from their nesting-holes. 

 I have seen great spotted woodpeckers, nut- 

 hatches and tits all deposed. It has often 

 been disputed whether starlings breed twice 

 in the year. My own experience, from boxes 

 placed in sight of the windows, leads me to 

 believe that, whilst many have double broods, 

 a large number have not ; also, many do not 

 breed at all, as proved by the large flocks 

 roosting here throughout the summer. 



75. Rose-coloured Starling. Pastor roseus 



(Linn.). 



A male was shot in September, 1810, 

 whilst feeding amongst some cows in the 

 Newbury fields. Its stomach contained some 

 undigested beetles (' Ornith. Bercheria '). The 

 late Dr. Palmer mentions one picked up in 

 an exhausted condition about 1876 ('Birds of 

 Newbury and District'), and the bird has twice 

 been obtained near Crowmarsh, just over our 

 boundary (W. Newton in lit.). 



76. Chough. Pyrrhocorax graculus (Linn.). 



One was killed near Newbury on August 

 13, 1868, and seen in the flesh by Mr. 

 Herbert, into whose collection it passed (Netv- 

 bury District Field Club, 1870-1, p. 96). 

 It seems hardly likely this was a wild bird. 



77- J a y- Garrulus glandarius (Linn.). 



A common resident, though probably its 

 numbers are increased by migrants in the 

 autumn. Jays breed in the wooded districts 

 in fair numbers, considering the persecution 

 to which they are subjected. That they 

 destroy a certain number of game-birds' eggs 

 there is no denying, but their food consists 

 largely of worms, also acorns, beech-masts 

 and other seed, so that I would ask game 

 preservers not to be too hard on them. 



78. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scopoli). 



Resident and fairly common, but it has 

 ceased to breed in this part of the county. 

 Not nearly as cunning as the last species it is 

 much more easily destroyed, and as it is not 

 migratory to any extent, we seldom see an 

 individual now. It still breeds near Radley 

 and in the less preserved parts of the county ; 

 also near Faringdon, where it is very common 

 (T. Dewe in lit.). 



79. Jackdaw. Corvus monedula, Linn. 

 Locally, Daw. 



This bird is common and resident, breeding 

 in large numbers. It is a regular eater of 

 eggs and young birds, with few redeeming 

 points. 



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