LORD LILFORD'S HOME 9 



But, much as Lilford owes to its woodlands, it owes 

 still more to the river Nene. This stream is a direct 

 highway to and from the sea, and by it come many birds 

 to visit or stay near Lilford's coverts and park. Some, 

 flying high in air, follow it inland as a clue when they 

 come from over seas. Perhaps the hobbies come that 

 way : they appear in the Lilford woods about the middle 

 of May, to lay their eggs in the old nests of the magpie or 

 the carrion crow ; for the hobby is a wise little falcon, and 

 waits for the clothing of the woods in leaf to make 

 concealment sure. Probably the redwings and fieldfares 

 also keep an eye on the river when they cross from 

 Scandinavia in the autumn, and visit for food the Lilford 

 thorns. Sandpipers and curlew also follow the Nene 

 valley as they come south. The river brings in many 

 wildfowl, and from time to time an individual or two 

 of an uncommon species: thus, in January 1876 sixteen 

 Bewick's swans came down near Lilford, and remained 

 for several days ; while the tufted duck, pochard, scaup, 

 and golden-eye are on the list of winter visitors. 



Apropos of the different behaviour of wildfowl on the 

 wing, Lord Lilford writes : l 



" I noticed a peculiarity in the habits of this species 

 (the gadwall) at the sunset flight : whilst the mallards 

 would circle cautiously several times around their feeding- 

 place before settling, the teal come dashing in over the 



1 The Birds of Northamptonshire, ii., 175. 



