BIRDS 



62. Twite. Linota flavirostris (Linn.) 

 Resident and not uncommon in the moor- 

 lands in the north of the county. It is a 

 northern species, and Staffordshire forms part 

 of the southern limit of its breeding range. 



63. Bullfinch. Pj/rrhula europtea, Vieillot. 

 A very generauy distributed resident. It 



is common in the woods of north Stafford- 

 shire during the winter months. 



[Pine-Grosbeak. Pyrrhula enucleator (Linn.) 



Garner's work (p. 279) contains the follow- 

 ing reference to this species : ' Needwood. 

 Bred in an orchard, north Staffordshire, 1842.' 

 Probably the hawfinch was mistaken for the 

 present species.] 



64. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. 



An uncertain visitor occurring in flocks 

 during the winter months. As it is a very 

 early breeder possibly some of the birds which 

 have been observed in the spring may have 

 bred in the county. Garner records the 

 crossbill as ' seen near Burton, Uttoxeter, etc.,' 

 and E. Brown says it occurred plentifully in 

 the fir plantations near Burton about 1838 

 (Fauna of Burton, p. 100). It has also been 

 reported from Barhill (near Madeley) and near 

 Burton in 1879, and regularly for some years 

 at Swynnerton (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 74). 

 A bird in the red plumage from the Blurton 

 collection of Staffordshire birds is now in the 

 Derby Museum. Both old and young birds 

 have been observed in woods near Cheadle 

 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1896). 



65. Corn-Bunting. Emberiza miliaria, Linn. 

 Local in the north of the county but not 



uncommon in the south and south-east, where 

 it breeds. It also occurs in the west of the 

 county at Willoughbridge (Report North 

 Staffs Field Club, 1894, P r 55). 



66. Yellow Hammer. Emberiza citrinella, 



Linn. 



Locally, Goldfinch. 



Very common throughout the county, sing- 

 ing all through the summer from the highest 

 twigs of hedgerows and feeding in winter in 

 farmyards with other birds. 



67. Cirl Bunting. Emberiza cirlus, Linn. 



A nest with four eggs is said to have been 

 found at Eccleshall on 24 May 1883 (Birds 

 of Staffordshire, p. 75). It is also said on Mr. 

 E. A. Brown's authority to have been recorded 

 from near Burton. 



68. Reed - Bunting. Emberiza schceniclus, 



Linn. 



Locally, Reed-Sparrow. 



Fairly common in the neighbourhood of 

 water, especially where reeds are found. 



69. Snow - Bunting. Plectrophenix nivalis 



(Linn.) 



A rare winter straggler. There are two 

 specimens in the Rolleston Hall museum, one 

 of which was killed by a labourer with a 

 stone on Rolleston meadows in October 

 1847 (Nat. Hist. ofTutbury, p. 44). Garner 

 records it as seen at Burton, Whitmore Heath 

 and Swynnerton, and in 1871 he says it has 

 been shot at Cloud Hill. Mr. R. W. Chase 

 states that one was found at Beech Lanes, 

 Harborne, on 9 February 1888 (Birds of Staf- 

 fordshire, p. 76). Dr. McAldowie reports 

 one shot on 22 January 1895 at Cliffe Ville 

 close to Stoke-on-Trent while feeding in 

 company with larks (Report North Staffs Field 

 Club, 1895, p. 88). 



70. Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. 

 Abundant everywhere, often seen in im- 

 mense flocks during the autumn and winter. 

 Three white birds and one cream-coloured 

 are recorded in the Birds of Staffordshire 

 (p. 7 6). 



71. Rose-coloured Starling. Pastor roseus 



(Linn.) 



One was seen near Rushton Spencer in 

 1875 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 77). 



72. Jay. Garrulus glandarius (Linn.) 



Still fairly numerous in wooded districts 

 although persistently trapped and shot by 

 keepers. 



73. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scopoli) 

 Locally, Chatterpie. 



Not very numerous, but one or two pairs 

 are nearly always to be seen on the moorlands 

 and near common lands. In winter flocks of 

 twenty to thirty are sometimes seen in the north 

 of the county, and Mr. R. H. Read once 

 counted as many as ninety in one plantation 

 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1894, p. 50). 

 Instances of the eviction of magpies from their 

 nests by kestrels, and also apparently by jack- 

 daws, have been noted in the Reports of the 

 North Staffs Field Club. 



74. Jackdaw. Corvus monedula, Linn. 



A common resident everywhere, often 

 nesting in large colonies in holes of trees 

 where there is much old timber as at Okeover, 

 as well as in chimneys and church towers in 



147 



