4 WILD NATURE IN STRATHEARN. 



the rain Starlings, Thrushes, and Blackbirds 

 have no difficulty in finding worms, which they 

 quickly pull out of the earth, peck all over, 

 and, gathering them in a bunch in their bills, 

 fly off to their nest. 



What a noise a nestful of young Starlings 

 can make when the old one approaches with 

 food. In a dove-cot close to my bed-room 

 window there is a nest of young Starlings. As 

 soon as daylight comes in they begin their cries, 

 and then good-bye to sleep. 



On the trees the smaller birds are busy hunt- 

 ing for insects. Here is the Blue Tit, flitting 

 from branch to branch, hanging from a twig 

 body downwards, peering into every cranny, and 

 always on the move. We can hear his well- 

 known "chee-chee" when we cannot see him. 

 The Wood Warbler is not far off, lilting his 

 sweet little song as he flits to and fro, now 

 and again leaving the trees to catch a fly on 

 the wing, and this interests us, as it is not the 

 dart of the Swallow, but more of a flicker and 



