Birds of Britain 



nest, and the eggs, five to six in number, are of a pale clay- 

 brown with no spots or markings. The birds are very shy 

 when at the nest, leaving it long before the intruder has 

 approached, and only running on again when he is well away. 

 The young are fed exclusively on insects, and when they are 

 fledged remain in their summer home till shorter days and 

 colder nights warn them that autumn has come. Old and 

 young then collect in enormous numbers in the salt marshes 

 along the sea-shore, until with favourable weather they pass 

 on to warmer and more congenial climes. 



The male above is of a uniform bright greenish yellow, 

 with a yellow eye stripe ; under parts bright lemon yellow. 

 Females and young are similar but duller, the latter some- 

 times showing in autumn some dark spots on the breast. 

 Length 6 '2 5 in.; wing 3*15 in. 



This bird is distributed in suitable localities throughout 

 England, with the exception of the extreme south-west. 

 In Wales it is chiefly seen on migration, and in Ireland it is 

 only found nesting in a few places. In Scotland it does 

 not nest north of Perthshire, and to the north of the Great 

 Glen it is only a rare straggler. Abroad it is confined to 

 North-west France and the Iberian peninsula, wandering 

 in winter to West Africa. 



THE TREE PIPIT 



Anthus trivialis (Linnaeus) 



Arriving in April with our other summer visitors, the 

 Tree Pipit may be found fairly commonly throughout 



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