126



Mr. A. R. Williams,



Pigeons seldom visited us till the mild weather returned and spring

sowing started.


Rooks are one of the commonest birds. They trailed across

the sky in great flocks from woods to feeding grounds in the morn¬

ing, returning noisily at night. They swarmed down on the ploughed

fields close behind the ploughing and harrowing, abounded in sheep

and cattle pastures, and showed much liking for clover fields. They

were far too numerous in the wheat fields after the autumn sowing,

and shooting and scarecrows deterred them but little. The extreme

cold of January, 1917, cut off many of their food sources. They

became silent, scattered, and spent hours perched on trees and

hedges. Dung-carting provided them with much food. Unfor¬

tunately, they found a bigger supply of food than that. They started

pulling the ricks, particularly wheat-stacks. Not a rick was un¬

touched. Some in remote parts of the farms had great holes several

yards across and a yard deep, from which Rooks had tugged the

straws, scattering them over the fields, and eating the grain.

Sparrows, Pheasants, Partridges, and the hard-billed birds followed

in their train to feast on corn. Shooting, hanging up their corpses,

scarecrows, netting round the ricks, and traps, were all employed,

but many bushels of corn went. As fast as possible the ricks were

thrashed out to prevent further depredations. Jackdaws accom¬

panied the Rooks, as they always do.


Crows were uncommon, but early in February two Carrion

Crows were seen at the lambing-yard devouring the remains of a

dead lamb which had been left on the thatch of a pen.


Starlings were as numerous as Rooks. Their familiar whistle

was less often heard, being replaced by a stridulous cry, often of a

quarrelsome nature. They worked the fields in large flocks, and the

gardens and farmyards in small groups of a dozen or so. They are

marvellously quick in their movements, ranging over a wide area, yet

searching every inch of ground in swift zig-zag jerks, leaving little

for other birds to eat. Their winter plumage retains all its glossi¬

ness, marked by little light brown spots apparently one on each

feather, giving them a spangled appearance. To the Starlings dung¬

carting was a feast. They worked both the crew-yard and middens

whilst the carts were being loaded, and the heaps and spread



