Bolam: The Natural History of Hornsea Mere. 57 
Brown OwL.—Common, and the keeper would be glad if 
it were less so, as it is a well known robber of the nests of small 
birds, and when pheasants used to be reared here was more 
than once caught in the act of taking chicks from the coops. 
That, however, is an old and often told story. In 1912 there 
were as usual several broods of Brown Owls reared at Wassand ; 
one in Boat-house Wood, another near the Round House. I 
several times noticed one of these owls hawking over the reed- 
beds in the gloaming, and more than once saw one drop into the 
reeds where these were growing in a foot or so of water, and 
where it seemed very unlikely that the prey could be anything 
else than birds of some kind. 
Common Buzzarp.—Taylor’s son—William—saw one soar- 
ing over the Low Wood about mid-day on 14th May. Ona23rd 
May I picked up an unmistakeable feather from the back of a 
Common Buzzard. A pair was reported to have been seen 
soaring together over Grimston Garth (a few miles south of 
Hornsea) on 12th May. James Taylor, another son of the 
keeper, saw one at Catwick Covert, two or three miles west of 
Wassand, on 2nd June, and was on one occasion very close to it. 
Occasional Buzzards have been seen by Taylor in former years. 
SPARROW Hawx.—As common as the keepers allow it to 
become ; there is usually an attempted nest at Wassand, 
sometimes two. From the date of my arrival I occasionally 
noticed a Sparrow Hawk prowling round the Mere. There was 
only a single nest this year. 
KESTREL.—Always a pair or two about Wassand, and 
usually a nest. Several pairs breed on adjoining properties. 
CORMORANT.—At least one or two may be seen on the Mere 
almost any day throughout the year, fishing, flying over, or 
holding up their wings to dry on one or other of the posts 
protruding from the water. The‘ boundary posts’ are favourite 
perches and are sometimes all occupied at the same time. 
The landing stage on the Lady Island is another frequently used 
seat, and on it I have seen castings containing remains of perch, 
roach, etc. There were seldom fewer than four or five Cormor- 
ants on the Mere during my stay, and I frequently watched one 
or more of them ringing upwards to depart northwards, or 
arriving thence at considerable altitudes; the line of flight 
(always about the same) pointing across ‘ Armitage Field’ in 
the direction of Flamboro’. Most of the birds were in black 
plumage, but I never saw one in summer garb. On 29th June 
a white breasted one was present on one of the posts, and the 
same or another similar bird was seen again on 12th July. The 
white on the breast was not very pure. 
HERON.—With the well-known Heronry here, is of course 
always present in considerable numbers. Mr. Wade had visited 
Wassand and counted the nests about a week before my arrival, 
1913 Jan. 1. 
