Mar., 1892. 
NOTES FROM A WINTER JOURNAL. 
59 
and “Kingfishers innumerable” in the neighbourhood of 
Oxford, about this date. Also three or four Golden Eye Ducks 
at Oxford. I afterwards examined the Falcons and Goose. 
8tli.—I hear all the Larks have disappeared from this 
parish. On one favourite farm there is not one to be seen. 
Examined at a Banbury birdstuffer’s a Grey Crow, killed close 
to that town, and a female Pied Woodpecker, from Boddington 
(Northants), this week. The fields are now covered with 
frozen snow, about two or three inches deep, and are in the 
worst possible condition for the birds. Kooks feed on the 
roads, and one came recently into an enclosed garden at Bodi- 
cote. Kingfishers will probably be exterminated, and the 
Thrush, family too, except Blackbirds in the gardens. News 
of a Barred Woodpecker seen at North Aston on the 6tli inst. 
9th.—Very hard frost last night, and froze hard to-day. 
Although there were many Tree Sparrows in an adjoining 
Orchard last autumn, I never see any with the other birds 
which flock to my crumbs. 
10th.—Exceptionally severe frost all day, still air and 
sunny. Thick ice on moustache. Found a little band of 
Wood Pigeons harrying field of swedes partly uncovered. 
These must have been migrants, as there have been none 
about lately, While waiting under a hedge to get a shot I 
found the gun barrels ’painfully cold. One Snipe in the warm 
ditch. Swere frozen save in the most rapid places. Snow 
“ squeaked” loudly as one walked on it, a sure sign of 
intense frost ; that in the open parts of the fields is caked 
hard, and it is possible to walk on it without sinking in. The 
crust is about one inch thick, over perhaps two or three inches 
of soft snow. On the top is some fine, dusty, recently fallen 
snow—-just a sprinkling. In this the tracks of birds and 
animals are fairly lithographed, if one may use the expression. 
Every toe in the Rabbits, every joint in a Partridge, Crow, 
or Moorhen’s footmark can be seen. I found also the track 
of Heron and Water Rail along the warm ditch, the hair-like 
tracks of the small birds under the hedges, and the footprints 
of the Long-tailed Field Mouse. Saw a covey of eleven 
Partridges, also four Red-legged Partridges, and wondered 
how they kept alive. About a score of Carrion Crows roosting 
in a place always haunted by a few, but where I never saw 
so many before. These must be migrants, though a few have 
wintered here. Saw a Kestrel; only two Fieldfares seen. 
11th.—Very sharp all day. Froze in my bed room last 
night and in day. Hung out some fresh suet for the birds. 
A Starling came but could not settle on it, but a pair of Nut¬ 
hatches found it out, and stayed a long time, much to the 
disgust of my Robin. 
