Bolam: The Natural History of Hornsea Mere. 47 
By 11th June several pairs were again carrying food to 
young in their second nests, and some were still so occupied 
up to the second week in July, these second nests occurring 
both in Heslop’s reeds and in the bed to the east of it, as well 
as at the bottom of Heronry Wood. 
Owing to the number of fledged young on the wing by this 
period, it was not easy to actually fix the position of these 
second nests, but it is pretty safe to say that at least six and 
almost certainly seven, first broods were reared, and probably 
as many second broods hatched before I left. By this date 
(20th July) all the second broods had not left the nests, but 
on the early morning of gth July, while I was paddling round 
the reeds on the south side of the Mere, I found a railing, which 
runs some distance into the water and marks the eastern 
extremity of the reed-beds here, covered with a little throng 
of small birds, warming themselves in the early sun’s rays, 
and ever and anon catching flies on the rails and the adjoining 
reeds, as well as occasionally picking them from the surface 
of the water. Of this gathering the majority were certainly 
Bearded Tits. As the boat drifted clear of the reeds, and came 
suddenly upon this little company at too close quarters, most 
of the birds took fright and disappeared into the herbage. 
Besides tits it contained many young Reed and Sedge Warblers 
—and possibly some adults—and a single Whinchat, and, as 
I lay quietly waiting, many of them gradually resumed their 
posts on the railing. There was nearly constant motion going 
on amongst them, and it was impossible to make sure of an 
exhaustive tally, but I succeeded in counting at one time upon 
the rail no fewer than twenty-nine Bearded Tits, all of which 
were in immature plumage, and I had no reason to suppose that 
that represented the whole gathering. The manner in which 
they clustered together much reminded me of Budjerigars, 
as I have seen them in an enclosure, while their chatter of Zitz, 
fitz, and their flight as they disappeared into and over the 
reeds, on being disturbed, was such that I entered them in my 
journal as ‘ Long-tailed Tits’ ! The black stripes on the back 
are very distinct in this plumage, and the fawn-coloured tints 
of the rest of the plumage makes the birds look scarcely more 
yellow than the breast of a female Whinchat. 
It was to bask in the early rays of the sun that no doubt 
brought about this gathering—such mornings were particu- 
larly scarce at the time—but as already noted, all the birds, 
tits and warblers alike, were also actively engaged in fly- 
catching, and it was the fat-bodied and rather sluggish Golden- 
yellow Midge (Chirvonomus plumosus) that provided the piece 
de résistance of the banquet. 
On my way back to Wassand the same morning I en- 
countered a family party of seven young Bearded Tits in the 
Ig13 Jan. t. 
