BIRDS 
or more numerous than in Bedfordshire. The 
Dunstable downs have long been noted for 
the number of sky-larks caught there. It 
often passes over our county in considerable 
flights on migration. Buff, pied, white and 
other varieties have been frequently met 
with, 
81. Wood-Lark. Alauda arborea, Linn. 
The only specimen recorded was shot at 
Oakley in 1867, and passed through the 
hands of Mr. A. Covington. 
82. Swift. Cypse/us apus (Linn.) 
Locally, Devilin. 
A common summer migrant. It nests in 
the town of Bedford, but to a very great ex- 
tent is restricted to the vicinity of the older 
portion in the neighbourhood of St. Mary’s 
and St. John’s. It arrives during the first 
few days of May and departs at the end of 
August. 
83. Nightjar. Caprimulgus europaeus, Linn. 
Locally, Goatsucker, Night Hawk, Fern Owl. 
A summer migrant decreasing numerically 
in most of its present haunts. It is known to 
nest at Turvey, and has been observed from 
time to time in Odell and Clapham Woods. 
In many of the fir woods around Leighton 
Buzzard it is still fairly common, and at Asp- 
ley Woods several pairs have come under my 
notice ; around Ampthill, Maulden and Clop- 
hill several pairs may still be found, but at 
Flitwick, Major Brooks says it is now rare. 
At Warden, Southill and Rowney Warrens 
it is far less plentiful than formerly ; on the 
latter in recent years I have never found more 
than two pairs of birds in any one day; 
whereas as recently as ten years ago Mr. J. 
King has found as many as five or six nests 
there in a day’s ramble. The fir plantations 
at Sandy, especially Sandy Warren, are the 
favourite haunts of this bird, where owing to 
the careful protection given to wild life 
generally by Viscount Peel they are likely 
long to remain. When upon the southward 
migration it may occasionally be flushed from 
varied localities and situations. 
84. Wryneck. Iynx torquilla, Linn. 
Locally, Cuckoo’s Mate. 
Although the wryneck may still be heard 
more or less frequently about the county, it is 
unfortunately nowadays decreasing in num- 
bers. It is one of our earliest summer 
migrants, not arriving as is generally supposed 
with the cuckoo—whence its local name— 
but often fully a fortnight earlier. 
85. Green Woodpecker. 
(Linn.) 
Locally, Whetile, Laughing Lady. 
A far commoner bird with us than either 
of the other two species of woodpeckers, and 
generally distributed throughout the county, 
particularly in the vicinity of old timber. In 
such localities as Bromham, Stagsden, Turvey, 
Odell, Colworth, Ampthill, Flitwick, Woburn, 
Southill, Warden, Renhold, Muggerhanger, 
Tempsford, Roxton and Bushmead, I have 
notes of it nesting rather commonly. Mr. A. 
Covington remarks that this species is far 
commoner now than in former years. 
Gecinus viridis 
86. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus 
major (Linn.) 
At Rowney Warren, Sandy, Clophill and 
in Ampthill and Turvey Parks, I have found 
this species nesting, in the latter locality the 
excavation used being certainly of several 
years’ standing. Mr. J. King used to find its 
eggs rather frequently at Southill and War- 
den, and the bird is still plentiful there. It 
nests also at Woburn Park and probably does 
so at Bromham and Bushmead Parks; at 
Henlow Park it is also said to be a resident 
species. Professor Alfred Newton occasionally 
saw this woodpecker around Everton when 
he resided there, 1847-8. Davis mentioned 
it as a common species around Luton. It is 
more numerous during the winter months, 
and judging from the numbers received by 
the local taxidermist, our resident birds must, 
especially in some years, be considerably added 
to by migratory sojourners. A variety con- 
siderably pied with grey has been obtained. 
87. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus 
minor (Linn.) 
This species is about as numerous as the 
last named, but being a much smaller bird is 
more likely to escape general observation, 
though probably it does not roam the country 
as freely as the former species during the 
winter. At least one pair nest regularly in 
Turvey and Bromham Parks. I have also 
found it during the nesting season at Roxton 
Spinneys and at Kempston ; I believe this bird 
is a resident also at Henlow Grange and Wo- 
burn. Mr. J. King adds Warden and South- 
hill, where in the latter park years ago he 
found two nests, both of which contained 
young. 
88. Kingfisher. /cedo ispida, Linn. 
Notwithstanding its too numerous persecu- 
tors this bird is still fairly common except 
perhaps in a few localities. The kingfisher 
is early in its nesting, generally being found 
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