178 BIRD LIFE IN WILD WALES 



May 2'$th. Sitting in the garden in the morning, 

 I saw a Buzzard pass over at a great height, on his 

 way, I imagine, to S. wood. When just over the 

 house he made a few sweeping circles, soaring beauti- 

 fully, and then continued his way. I also watched 

 the Goldfinches building, and, climbing the sycamore, 

 located the nest. It is right at the summit of the 

 tree, and, as is usual, at the end of a branch. Indeed, 

 you will seldom find this finch's charming home in 

 any other situation, though occasionally I have seen 

 one in the crotch of a fruit-tree, but sycamores and 

 horse-chestnuts are great favourites. I noticed that 

 the Pipit's riest in the embankment has two eggs, rather 

 curious ones, and if a Tree Pipit's, a very greyish 

 brown variety a colour which is unusual in this 

 species, for though the eggs differ considerably (but 

 they are always alike in the same clutch) they nearly 

 always show a tinge of red, unless they are the olive- 

 tinted types. Size, however, must be taken into con- 

 sideration as well ; but Meadow Pipits' eggs are almost 

 invariably smaller than those of the species under 

 notice, besides seldom showing any red. The great 

 thing is to identify the birds at the nest. 



May 26th. Off to Tenby, reaching there at 6 p.m. 

 W. V. met me, but we did nothing in the bird line 

 that evening. To-morrow we go to St. Margaret's 

 Island. The Peregrines at Lydstep Head have been 

 robbed, I hear. 



May 27 th, 28^/2, 2gth. See the chapter entitled 

 "With the Sea Birds at Tenby." 



May $ist. Pike, his friend, and myself started for 

 L. lake to photograph a nest or two of the Crested 



