Part 16

This bird is only known to nest in one or two places in Norfolk. It has been my pleasure to examine two nests--one situated amongst rough, dead grass, and the other in a tuft of rushes--in each case quite close to the water. The nest is made of dry grass, rushes, or withered leaves, and lined with beautiful soft down. From eight to twelve or thirteen creamy-white eggs are laid.

THE TUFTED DUCK.

This member of the Duck family selects the neatest and best concealed situation of all. It is generally well hidden in a tussock of rushes growing in or close to the water of a mere or pond. The nest is made of dead rushes, grass, or reeds, and is lined with small dark pieces of down, with whitish centres. The eggs are light greenish-buff in colour, and number from eight to ten, or even thirteen. They are very similar to those of the Pochard, but the down tufts in the nest are darker.

THE STONE CURLEW.

Found on stony, arable land, commons, and rough, bare pastures. I have watched the bird through my binoculars, when put off her eggs, fly to some distance and remain quite flat upon the ground, with which she closely harmonises. The nest is a mere unlined hollow, with sometimes a few bents in it, which may as easily as not have been blown there. Her eggs number two, of light buffish to clay-brown ground colour, blotched and spotted with blackish-brown and grey. I have noticed that one egg in a nest will differ radically in the size and intensity of its markings from the others.

THE FULMAR PETREL.

So far as the British Isles are concerned, it is perhaps only safe to say that this bird breeds at St. Kilda, although it has been reported from other quarters. Its nest is situated on ledges of cliffs covered with a sufficient amount of earth for the bird to make a burrow in, or in crevices. It is sometimes lined with a scanty supply of dry grass; at others no lining at all is used. The bird lays a single rough, chalky-white egg.

THE GARGANEY.

Norfolk seems to be the last breeding resort of this duck. Its nest is situated in reed beds, or such other vegetation as will afford the bird plenty of concealment. It is composed of reeds, leaves, or dry grass, and is lined with pieces of down, the long white tips of which distinguish it from the Teal. The eggs are creamy-white, like those of the bird above-named, and number from seven or eight to as many as thirteen.

THE GOOSANDER.

The Goosander breeds in the Highlands of Scotland, and situates its nest in hollow trees and crevices of rock, generally near the water. Very little, if any, material is said to be used excepting the warm lining of greyish-white down from the bird's own body. The eggs number from eight to a dozen or thirteen, creamy-white and smooth-shelled.

THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE.

The midland and eastern counties contain the favourite breeding resorts of this handsome bird. Its nest is composed of all kinds of dead aquatic vegetation, such as reeds and flags, and is situated in or on the water of lakes, broads, large tarns, and meres. The bird lays three or four eggs, sometimes even as many as five, white and chalky when first laid, but soon becoming soiled and dirty.

THE BLACK GUILLEMOT.

The Isle of Man, Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetlands, and some parts of Ireland are favoured by this bird as a breeder. Its nest is situated in crevices and under ledges and boulders of rock. No materials of any kind are used for its nest. The eggs number two, varying from light bluish-green to light buffy-white in ground colour, spotted, speckled, and blotched with rich blackish-brown and pale reddish-brown and underlying grey markings.

THE KITTIWAKE.

The nest of the Kittiwake is situated on ledges of maritime cliffs round our coast, and at the Farne Islands. I have seen the bird occupying such a small corner that it was unable to sit properly on its eggs. The nest is made of seaweed and lined with dead grass. Its eggs number two, three, and rarely four, and vary from light greenish-blue to stone colour, or buffish-brown, blotched and spotted with varying shades of brown and grey. The markings sometimes form a zone round the larger end.

THE SHORT-EARED OWL.

On the ground, amongst heather or sedges, this bird makes its nest, in the eastern and northern counties and in Scotland. It uses next to no materials, but such as are present consist of bits of dead reeds and leaves. Its eggs number from four to seven or eight, pure white, unspotted, and oval in shape.

THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER.

Although nowhere abundant, this bird breeds in suitable districts throughout England. Its nest is situated in a hole in the trunk or some large branch of a tree, and is about seven to a dozen inches deep. I have found it quite close to London. No materials are used for the nest except chippings of dry wood detached in the construction of the hole. Eggs from five or six to eight, and even nine, white, without spots, and polished.

THE WILLOW WREN.

The nest of the Willow Wren, or Willow Warbler, is situated on or near the ground in fields, orchards, woods, and almost everywhere. It is made of moss, bits of dried grass, occasionally fern-fronds or leaves, and is lined with feathers and hair. The eggs number from four or five to seven, and upon occasion I have found eight. They are white, spotted with reddish-brown.

THE SEDGE WARBLER.

I have found this bird's nest amongst low bushes, tufts of tall, coarse grass, and amongst nettles; generally, though not always, near water. It is composed of grass-stems lined with finer grass, horsehair, and sometimes vegetable down in small quantities. The eggs number five or six, light yellowish-brown tinged with blue, which is rarely seen on account of the closely-crowded yellowish-brown or buffish-brown markings. The eggs generally have a few streaks or lines of blackish-brown on the larger end.

THE RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.

The nest of this bird is found on the ground, concealed beneath rocks, or amongst the vegetation growing on the banks of large bodies of water in Scotland and Ireland. I have seen it on the banks of streams, where it must have been washed away by the first freshet. It is composed of bits of heather, dry leaves, and down from the bird's own body. The eggs number from six or seven to nine, or even a dozen, and vary from buffish-grey to pale olive-grey in colour.

THE GREENSHANK.