THE ZOOLOGIST 



No. 830.— August, 1910. 



NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF OXFORDSHIRE, 



1909. 



By 0. V. Aplin, F.L.S. 



January 1st. — Slow thaw ; snow wasting slowly. A number 

 of small birds reported picked up dead round ricks lately. 



5th. — No Thrush song since frost set in at end of last year. 



6th. — A- Nuthatch (now a rarity here) again frequents the old 

 plum-tree here to hammer food. Only a few nutshells under 

 the tree, but many acorn-shells. I heard it " trilling " a few 

 days ago. 



10th. — Great, Blue, and Coal-Tits are constantly visiting the 

 fat hung up for them, but the Marsh-Tit I never see. The last- 

 named is a seed-eater or a " nuttist," and comes about my garden 

 a good deal in the autumn. In winter its favourite haunt is the 

 vicinity of beech-trees. 



11th. — Blue Tit singing; Coal-Tit with spring note. 



17th. — An ordinary snowdrop in bloom. 



20th. — A Song-Thrush singing. Hardly any about since the 

 frost. 



21st. — Received a Short-eared Owl, shot on the 19th, from a 

 rushy meadow at Chadlington. Two Thrushes sang despite 

 the fog. 



23rd. — Mr. Tyrrell reported later that great numbers of 

 Bramblings (consorting with Chaffinches, Greenfinches, and 

 Sparrows) were noticed this month at Deddington, Swerford, 

 South Newington, &c. 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XIV., August, 1910. z 



