A. F. Moody — Waders, etc.



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WADERS, ETC.


By A. F. Moody


In reply to Mr. James’ recent articles in the Avicultural

Magazine referring to Waders and the rearing of our commoner

British birds, may I as an aviculturist and a keen lover of birds

in the wild, say that for upwards of thirty years I have never been

without several species of Waders ; that as a group they are charming

birds to study and not difficult to keep. Real success, however, as with

many other families of birds, depends largely upon their owners’

ornithological knowledge and a readiness to make the best of artificial

conditions and render their immediate surroundings as natural as

possible.


Great pleasure also can be derived from the keeping and breeding

of quite common British Finches, etc. At one time and another I have

kept various common species ; our usual procedure being to enjoy

the pleasure (take notes, etc.) of rearing a species once, then liberate

parents and young the first autumn or the following spring.


As of possible interest I append extracts from my diaries for 1907,

1909, and 1911, dealing with the rearing of three well-known species

in the Scampston Hall aviaries.


B rambling (Fringilla montifringilla ).—-The species has but once

had an opportunity of nesting here, when, during the summer of

1907, the following observations were taken from a very ragged male

(a dealer’s bird) and a fine locally-caught female of the previous

autumn. 30th May : About this time the male completed his nuptial

dress, began to sing and otherwise behave as a breeding bird. 1st July :

The pair began to build, choosing as a nesting site an old and partly

decayed Blackbird’s nest which had the year previously been stuffed

into a growing hawthorn bush, at a height of about 4 feet from the

ground.


6th July : Nest completed, in appearance very Chaffinch-like,

differing only in being slightly larger and not so compact. 7th July :

The first of a clutch of five very Chaffinch-like eggs laid. 11th July :

Incubation appeared to commence. 2nd August : Two young males



