60 BRITISH BIRDS. 



WOODCHAT IN CHESHIRE. 



On May 2nd, 1908, I saw two Woodchats {Lanius pomeranus) , 

 I think male and female, on some furze bushes by the side of 

 the river Dane, about two miles above Congleton. The 

 reddish-brown head and conspicuous black and white plumage 

 of the male, coupled with the unmistakable Shrike beak, 

 struck me at once. The female was not so bright in colour. 

 I watched them for about fifteen minutes. The birds were 

 remarkably tame, and allowed me to approach within about 

 three yards of them. They seemed to be hunting for some- 

 thing among the spines of the furze. Eventually they flew 

 away. I have been to the spot on several occasions since, 

 but have not seen them again. The Woodchat has not been 

 observed in Cheshire on any previous occasion, but it has 

 twice been recorded from Lancashire. 



J. M. St. John Yates. 



[Mr. T. A. Coward kindly substantiates the above record, 

 w^hich is rather wanting in detail. Mr. Yates described the 

 birds fully to Mr. Coward, and we are quite satisfied that the 

 identification was correct. Mr. Yates is, Mr. Coward writes, 

 an enthusiastic bird observer, and knows the Red-backed 

 Shrike well. We have only to add that it is a pity that those 

 who observe rare wanderers and do not obtain them, do not 

 always write down on the spot as full a description as possible 

 of what they see. — Eds.] 



HOOPOE IN SHROPSHIRE. 



Mr. G. H. Paddock saw a Hoopoe {Upupa epops) in his 

 garden in Wellington, Salop, on the morning of May 29th, 

 and watched it for some time. It was set upon by a number 

 of Sparrows, which compelled it to fly away. Over a dozen 

 previous occurrences in Shropshire have been recorded. 



H. E. Forrest. 



SHORT-EARED OWL BREEDING IN 

 PEMBROKESHIRE. 



I AM indebted to Lieut. W. M. Congreve for news of the 

 finding of two nests of the Short-eared Owl {Asio accipitrinus) 

 in the neighbourhood of Pembroke Dock. The first was 

 discovered early in May, and was remarkable for the 

 elongated shape of the eggs. The second — a fortnight later — 

 contained eggs of the ordinary rounded type. The Rev. 



