LEES : WENSLEYDALE BIRD-NOTES. 



365 



It may, perhaps, interest some of your readers to know that the Creeper 

 {Certhia Jamiliaris) has this year nested in Bain Gill and Ellergate ; that the 

 Short-eared Owl {Asio brachyotus) nested among the heather on Mossdale Moor ; 

 that the Reed Bunting {Eniberiza schcenichis) comes up Wensleydale as far as 

 Hawes, breeding in the sedge by the 'backwater'; that the Quail {Cohtrnix com- 

 7mmis) has not this year nested in the dale to my knowledge ; that hereabouts, 

 where the trees and plantations are not numerous enough (!) to supply sites for the 

 very abundant Missel Thrush ( Turdtis viscivoi-tcs), that bird very frequently builds 

 its nest on (sometimes in) the stone walls of our slopes, as also do the Blackbird 

 (^Turdus merida) and Song Thrush (7^. mttsiciis), too, for that matter; that the 

 Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida) has been unusually plentiful this year on the Yore, four 

 clutches (20 birds) having to my knowledge fledged off and flown, whilst three 

 others (16 eggs) were either taken by myself or brought in to me, the latest being 

 on July 23rd, when 6 unincubated eggs (2 rotten) were taken by Mr. Crosfield 

 from a rat-hole at Birk Rigg; that the Night-jar {Capri nmlgus eiiropceiis) has been 

 unusually common hereaway this year, and the Landrail [Crex praiensis) positively 

 abundant, whereas last year (1884) it was decidedly scarce ; and finally, most sur- 

 prising fact of all (!) that this year the Redwing {Tiirdits iliacus) may be said to 

 have ahnost stayed to breed in Wensleydale, the facts concerning which, however, 

 merit circumstantial recital. 



In 1884 (not a very late season, but with bad weather about the time when the 

 Fieldfares ( Ttirdiis pilaris) usually leave this country for the forests of Sweden), as 

 mentioned in the circular for the Hawes meeting of the Y.N.U., a pair of Redwings 

 remained about some larches in Blaeberry Car plantation until May 25th, without 

 showing any disposition to commence nidification. This spring of 1885 was fully 

 ten days later, as judged by the date of the first blooming of flowering plants, yet 

 neither Fieldfares nor Redwings remained anything like so late, perhaps because 

 the weather was just then open and fine. Knowing how late both species stayed in 

 1884, I was especially anxious to ascertain when they would depart this year, and 

 so spent much time out of doors, early and late, observing them during April. On 

 April 15th they remained still in some plenty in several sheltered localities. 

 On April i6th they were still in Sed Busk Wood. On April 17th, whilst walking 

 with my son in my garden at Park House, Gayle, our attention was drawn to a 

 nest mainly of grass outside, not quite so large as a Thrush's, and rather neat and 

 tidy, placed in the crown of a weeping willow, not more than six feet from the 

 ground, and not twenty yards from the house. This nest had most certainly not 

 been there the night before, for I, my wife and son passed the small tree very many 

 times a day. Of course a watch was kept ; the parents were noisy over their task, 

 both birds bringing material to complete the nest, which (lined with fine grass and 

 a little sheep's wool upon a clay basis) was completed before the night. The birds 

 were not at all shy, and many a good sight had we of the bright red wing coverts 

 [This is not quite correct — the wing coverts are not red, but the flanks or sides 

 under the wings are], the light eyebrow streak, and the spotted breast. By the 

 morning one egg was laid — and then, alas ! no more. On the 19th wecould see nothing 

 of the birds, and walks to Blaeberry Car and Sed Busk revealed the fact that 

 (a month earlier than 1884) the Redwings and Fieldfares had departed. Of course, 

 why this pair were seized with the nidificatory fever, and not the others about ; 

 and why, having commenced to lay, the henbird did not linger to rear her brood — 

 the weather grew brilliantly fine — but felt she must go with the rest, is beyond me 

 to say : I simply chronicle the fact. After waiting another day, I took the egg, 

 lest the cats should get it, and a singular egg it is, unlike any other I have. In 

 shape it is beautifully pyriform, as pear-shaped as any little Plover's, nearly i inch 

 and 1% lines long, by 8^4 lines broad; when first laid the ground colour was 

 clear pale green (now faded to a light brownish-green), and it is plentifully splashed 

 and blotched with red and purple-brown two or three shades darker in hue than 

 the ground colour. 



It has just struck me to ask a question : Can a bird put off the laying of an egg 

 when fully formed in the oviduct ? If not, why should not Redwings or Fieldfares, 

 staying here late, pair and have ova maturing, which ova must be extruded one 

 would think when ripe, whether on route north or ' wind and weather not permitting,' 

 here in England before the journey? Has anyone ever shot late-staying examples 

 and noticed eggs in the oviduct ? — F. A. Lees. 



Nov. 1885. 



R 2 



