On Birds noticed during a short visit to Suffolk. 165


•BIRDS NOTICED DURING A SHORT VISIT TO


SUFFOLK.


By Hugh Whistler.


On August 3rd of last year (1904) I visited the parish of

St. Margaret’s, which is situated in the district of South Elniham,

near the River Waveney, which is the boundary between Norfolk

and Suffolk. The village of St. Margaret’s is very small indeed,

only boasting one shop, so that whatever is needed that the shop

cannot supply has to be got from either Bungay or Harleston,

both of which are at least five miles off. The only houses of

any consequence in St. Margaret’s itself are the Rectory and South

Elniham Hall, the latter being built close to the ruins of the

palace of Felix, the first Bishop of Norwich, and about half a

mile from the Minster, an ancient edifice surrounded by a raised

bank in the shape of a square, now covered with trees. The

Rectory has fine grounds, and in front of the house is a moat

forming an island, now partly overgrown. Without any further

preamble, I will state my observations, made during a stay of

nearly three weeks, occasionally referring to what I noticed in

former visits ; although I have no notes by me of my earlier

holidays there.


The Kestrel (Falco tinnuncuhis') is plentiful (thanks to

the enlightenment of the inhabitants, who discriminate between

this bird and the Sparrowliawk) and it gave me great pleasure

to observe that one could practically be sure of seeing some

in one’s walks abroad. I was much struck by the beautiful

manner in which they hovered over the fields when searching for

food, remaining in the same spot, although their wings were

beating up and down. The lady whom I was staying with had

several young “ Windovers,” as they are locally called, which

came from a nest containing six 3^0ling ones in a tree in front of

the main doorway of South Elniham Hall. I11 this same tree

was another nest containing more young Kestrels, and on inquiry

I found that they had bred in it every year for many } r ears, in

spite of often being disturbed. There had also been another

nest quite near to the other two last }^ear, the young from which,

I believe, got off safeE, with the exception of one bird, which a

gentleman wounded slightly and put in a cage, where It seemed



