1891.
July 2
England.
Tintern. - Early morning and later afternoon clear, middle
of day cloudy with the usual showers.
  Spent most of the forenoon in the Abbey feasting my
eyes on the many beautiful and impressive details of
architecture of this noble old ruin. The roof fell in
centuries ago and there is no glass in any of the windows
so the birds have free access. They find innumerable
nesting places in the crevices of the walls or among the
ivy which clings to them in wonderfully dense, luxuriant
masses, and the place is a perfect aviary. Swifts,
Jackdaws, Starlings and Blackbirds were coming and going
continually. The nests of these birds were mostly high up.
The Jackdaws nest chiefly in large, square holes which
are pieced at regular intervals quite through the walls,
probably for the reception of cross beams, none of which
remain. The Swifts and Starlings were entering the
smaller, irregular crevices between the stones. Low down
but yet always out of reach the Spotted Flycatchers
had nests. The Blackbirds also nest low down, always
in masses of ivy. Besides these species there was a
pair of Pigeons of about the color and size of our
common blue strut Pigeon.  I started the [female] from her
nest in a crevice of the wall among ivy about 20 ft.
above the ground and saw her as well, perhaps, as
the [male] fly to and from the river always at a
great height and very swiftly. I took the species
to be Columba oenas. The old Scotch woman who
has charge of the building called them Blue Rock
Pigeons. She also told me that Barn Owls nest
here regularly. She frequently sees or hears them
in the evening and about three weeks ago found