Armitt : The Birds of Rydal. 



2 45 



British Long-tailed Tit. /Egithalus vagans (Leach). 

 Permanent resident. Not very numerous. It is fond of the 

 Juniper as a nesting-place. 



Common Qoldcrest. Regulus regulus (L.). Permanent 

 resident. Though in general a solitary bird, or in winter keep- 

 ing- up with the mixed parties of small birds that go about quiet 

 places together, I once met a little flock of the species amongst 

 the Juniper bushes of the fell. They prattled joyously, and 

 even attempted to sing, though only January. The song, minute 

 as the bird, is regularly begun about the 17th February. 



Waxwing. Ampelis garrulus L. Occasional visitant. 

 Seen several times in winter by Mr. Wykeham Martin. 



Whitethroat. Sylvia sylvia (L.). Summer visitant. Nests 

 in waste corners of gardens and low coppice-woods. In the 

 latter station it is not infrequently the companion of the Garden 

 Warbler. 



Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla (L.). Summer visitant. 

 Rarer than the Garden Warbler, and hardly ever nesting - in 

 coppices as that bird does, but in shrubberies of gardens or 

 parks. Males arrive in the latter days of April ; but in general 

 it is a late nester, nests often not being begun before early June. 

 It is also capricious and often starts afresh. 18th April 1902 ; 

 14th September 1894. 



Garden Warbler. Sylvia simplex Lath. Summer visitant. 

 Tolerably frequent, nesting in large gardens as well as in close 

 coppices. Is stationed in the highest woodland (about 550 feet) 

 on the Rydal Beck, as on the Stock Beck. Arrives (as far as 

 can be told from the song) later than the Blackcap ; varying 

 from the 4th to 15th May. Whether the cock takes part in the 

 building of nest, as I have seen the Blackcap do, I am not sure ; 

 but I once found four collections of nest materials yet unworked, 

 which I believed he had brought together ; for he sang close 

 by one, which caused me to find it, and seemed to be seeking 

 a mate. The nest is placed lower than the Blackcap's. 



Wood Warbler. Phylloscopus sibilator (Bechst.). Summer 

 visitant. Fairly abundant where there are trees of large growth. 

 Arrives about a fortnight later than the following species. Fore- 

 runners appear in the last week of April, late comers first w eek 

 of May. Nests generally on rocky braes below trees, 1 hough 

 occasionally on a bank. Feeds its young on small caterpillars 

 as w T ell as insects. 22nd April 1893 ; 1st August. 



Willow Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus (L. ). Summer 

 visitant. Abundant. Arrives by twos and threes in the second 



1902 August 1 . 



