A BIRD CALENDAR 



17 



12th July. I suddenly came across a Landrail and her brood of young, 



covered with black down, on a garden path. She at once feigned 

 injury and tumbled about as if unable to fly. Meantime the young 

 birds ran through a fence into long grass, while the mother tried to 

 attract my attention. Once or twice she went to see if the little 

 ones were in a place of safety, but only when they had gone many 

 yards away, did she finally leave me and follow them. 



14th July. 



15th July. 



Swallows have laid eggs again and within a few days of the first 

 brood leaving the nest. The young of these birds appear to be able 

 to feed and take care of themselves very soon after they fly ; the 

 young of many other birds, such as the Robin, the Spotted Fly- 

 catcher and the House Sparrow being fed by their parents for 

 some time after leaving the nest. 



Returning home at dusk I heard several Nightjars " churring," 

 and by approaching carefully, came upon a bird perched on the 

 extreme top of a Scotch Pine. The song of this bird, when one 

 is close to it, is far more musical than at a distance, and seems to 

 consist of two or three notes, and is uttered when the bird is 

 perching, and with the head on a level with, or lower than the 

 body. 



1 6th July. I observed a Yellow Hammer singing his drowsy song, perched 



on the top of a Hawthorn Hedge by the wayside. 



17th July. I found a Greenfinch's nest built in ivy against a stable wall 



about ten feet from the ground. This is an unusual place for 

 the nest of this bird, which generally builds in hedges or low 

 bushes. 



18th July. Turtle Doves feeding on weedy arable land, where they consume 



the seeds of many noxious weeds, such as knot grass, orache, etc., 

 and thus render good service to the farmer. Willow Wrens and 

 Chiff Chaff's resume their songs, having completed th^ir family 

 duties. 



B 



