58 
NOTES FROM A WINTER JOURNAL. 
Mar., 1892. 
NOTES FROM A WINTER JOURNAL, 1890-1. 
. BY O. V. APLIN, 
MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION, AUTHOR OF 
“ THE BIRDS OF OXFORDSHIRE.” 
(Concluded frovi page 43.) 
1891.—January 1st.—Giving a little, and thermometer 
said to be above 82° in shade for first time for twenty-five 
days. Examined the following birds, procured in the last 
days of the old year Sclavonian Grebe, from Hook Norton; 
Pomatorhine Skua, immature dress, caught alive at Finmere; 
Hooded Crow, Byfield ; Woodcock, a little bright red bird, 
picked up nearly dead close to Banbury ; Kestrel, female. 
The birdstuffer who showed me these had received a few 
Bramblings or “ Mountain Finches.” 
2nd.—The same taxidermist received two Green Wood¬ 
peckers which had been picked up dead, and, like those found 
in the winter of 1880-1 (especially in January, 1881), had 
their long tongues stretched out to their full length. 
3rd.—A Missel Thrush found, too weak to fly. 
4th.—Thawed a little ; and some sleety rain, which froze 
as it fell, and made roads and paths a sheet of ice. Bitter 
frost at night. Men have skated from Oxford to Reading. 
5th.—Country now covered with hard crust of frozen 
snow, for the snow has only wasted a little. Redwing caught 
in a garden at Bodicote, too weak to fly ; they and Blackbirds 
have finished hollyberries. A Little Grebe found alive on 
snow under window of a house at Bodicote this morning, a 
long way from any stream ; it was in very poor condition. 
Heard that (in my absence) twenty-four Wild Geese had been 
seen about the parish between here and Barford ; on the 26th 
they were seen on young wheat; next day they flew over my 
informant quite low down ; and on the 31st they were round a 
load of pea straw standing in a field, running about, said the 
man who saw them, like Turkeys. Snow shower in the evening, 
6tli.—A Coot shot yesterday morning on one of the open 
scours on the Cherwell near Franklin’s Knob (opposite Bodi¬ 
cote), where they are never seen in ordinary seasons; it was 
in very poor condition. 
7tli.—News of the following birds :—Peregrine Falcon 
(young female), killed at Waterperry on the 26th December; 
a Bittern, procured about the same date, near Bletchington, 
(N.B.—A good many Bitterns were .recorded, from different 
parts of the country, in the Field about this time); Pink-footed 
Goose (Ajiser brachyrhynchus) , shot at Water Eaton, on the 
6th inst.; an adult female Peregrine Falcon at Bagley Wood, 
