NOTES ON THE BIRDS AROUND CARDIFF. 55 



The Hedge- Sparrow, Linnet, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, and 

 Wren are very common, and breed regularly. 



The Dipper is scarce, as there are not many suitable localities 

 for it in this district. A pair usually breed at Eadyr Quarry, 

 although there is no rushing water there ; but in all probability 

 the birds frequent the Eiver Taf, which is not far away, and 

 flows very rapidly at that point. The nest is always placed in 

 a fissure of the rock, and the birds breed very early. 



Of the Titmice, the Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Coal-Tit and 

 Blue Tit are common, and breed regularly. The Nuthatch 

 breeds occasionally 



The Pied Wagtail is very common, but their nests are very 

 hard to find unless the parent birds are carefully watched. The 

 Yellow Wagtail usually breeds in this district. 



The Meadow-Pipit and Tree-Pipit breed regularly, as does 

 the Skylark. The Spotted Flycatcher is very common and 

 nests almost anywhere. The Eed-backed Shrike is on the 

 decrease, but it still breeds regularly. 



The Swallow and Swift are very common, but the House- 

 Martin is on the decrease. The Sand-Martin breeds regularly. 



The Tree-creeper and Goldfinch breed regularly. 



The Tree- Sparrow is scarce. I have observed a few pairs 

 breeding at Eadyr, and a pair bred at Llandaff Fields a few 

 years ago. The Bullfinch is very common, and a pair breed 

 regularly in Eadyr Woods. The Yellow Bunting is very 

 common. 



The Magpie, although persecuted by gamekeepers, con- 

 tinues to breed in fair numbers in this district. The Jackdaw 

 is very common, and there are large colonies at the Alps Quarry 

 and the Little Garth. The Carrion-Crow is fairly common. 



The Eook is very common and there are several large 

 rookeries in the district. 



The three Woodpeckers are to be found in our district, the 

 Green Woodpecker being very common. The Kingfisher is 

 fairly common, and I have seen three in one morning along the 

 Eiver Taff. The Cuckoo is very common. 



The Barn-Owl is dying out around Cardiff, but last year I 

 came across three pairs breeding within a few yards of one 

 another. There was a clump of trees, about half-a-dozen, in 



