Mrs. Carrey—Birds in a Garden near London



57



Green Woodpecker appeared on a juniper-stem close to the house, but

the Sparrows were after him at once, and away he flew, never to return.

These are usually very shy birds, but on Headington Hill last summer

I saw a splendid Great Green Woodpecker sitting on a low turf bank

sloping up from the lawn to a terrace in front of the house, and busily

hunting for worms. Though several people went to an upper window

to look at him he made no attempt to fly away, and even glanced up at

us, and then went on digging. He stayed there about half an hour,

then leisurely flew across the lawn to some large trees, and the following

day he came again, and so on for several days. I have never known

a Woodpecker quite so tame, though in a garden at Liss I have watched

one fairly close to the house on a bank digging for large worms.


Bullfinches used to come into the garden, but they are shy birds,

loving quiet, and I seldom, if ever, hear their plaintive little whistle

now. The Chiff-chaff is often about, and the little brown Tree-creeper

and the Wren. The Pied Wagtail nests here, and the White Wagtail

built a charming little nest in some ivy over a fence in the orchard, and

brought out four or five young ones, which used to range themselves

in a row beside a high box edging in the kitchen garden, while the

mother-bird fetched them food, distributing the dainties she had in her

bill, worms, grubs, and insects, to each in turn, and once when there

was not enough to “go round ” she started, on her return with fresh food,

with the one she had had to leave out, and who clamoured for his share.

There is an old superstition that if Wagtails come to the windows or

doors or peck at windows, something untoward will happen. Only once

has a Pied Wagtail flown up and pecked at the windows. They are

usually shy of coming near our house. Swifts often pass over, shrieking,

on a summer’s evening, and a Hawk has been seen hovering over the

garden. Plovers have been on the lawn, too, in severe winter weather,

and Gulls and Wild Duck have been frequently seen high in the air,

passing over. A Moorhen came to the pond in our field years

ago, and built every year on a pile of sticks and rubbish

by a little backwater, and her tameness was remarkable. She

brought out several broods. Wild Owls, the Tawny and the

Barn Owl were very numerous in our garden, and I have heard

the Little Owl whistling. That was when we had pet Owls



