FIELDFARE.
of eight or nine Fieldfares were noticed near Rinzey (a few miles east of Penzance) flying towards
the north-west.
Judging from the information gained from the light-ships, there is little doubt that between the beginning
of September and the cud or April Fieldfares must he perpetually crossing the North Sea, cither to or bom
our coasts. While shooting in the east of Norfolk in 1872 I made the following entry in my notes:-—
"November 27. Heavy gale of wind from the south-west. Scarcely possible to work punts on the open
broad, being almost swamped by the spray. Pigeons and Fieldfares in immense numbers continued Hying
west during the greater part of the day ; with the last of the light they were still passing over." It is probable
that the whole of these birds wen migrants from the north of Europe. On making inquiries of the
lightships shortly nfter, I received the wings of two or three Fieldfares taken on board the ' Lynn Well *
during the last week in November. Front April 1873 till the end of May two birds were taken on each
of the vessels—' Lynn Well,' ' Hasbro,' and ' Newarp.'
In Jauuary 1S07 immense flights of Fieldfares passed from east to west for several consecutive days:
though the frost was severe and the wind bitter from the north-west, the travellers appeared to suller but
little from the aflbeta of cold and hunger. The storms early in P. rem her l « 7 t greatly reduced this hardy
species, numbers being found dead after the breaking up of the frost. The mortality during this gale was,
however, slight compared with the terrible losses itillicted on all our small feathered visitors by the hurricane
of January IS, 1881. While shooting in Pevcnsey level, at the time of the heavy storm of January 1S07, I
noticed Fieldfares on several occasions haskiug in the interior of the wreaths or snow that bad formed
round and) in some instances, OTcr the thorn-bushes alongside of the marsh-dykes. When the sun struck
down warm the birds were often to be soon stretching themselves out towards its rays, their snug snow
shelter open towards the south affording protection from the culling north-west wind. As a rule, large
bodies of Fieldfares do not show themselves with the first fall of snow; the less hardy birds, such as
Larks, Thrushes, and Blackbirds, are the advanced guard of the approaching hosts.
1 have uever seen it mentioned that this species rousts among the stems of the reed [Plnmi'//niih's
couimitn/x). In March 1871 I put up on two occasions large flocks of these birds, which, in company
with Redwings, had taken up their quarters for the night iu the large reed-beds at Somcrton Broad, in the
cast of Norfolk.
Iu parts of the eastern counties I occasionally heard Fieldfares termed " Felts," though by far the
commonest uame for this species among the country people of the east of Norfolk is the " F'ulfer " or " Jay
Fuller." White or pied varieties of the Fieldfare are by no means so frequently recorded as those of many
other species ; T, however, clearly identified and closely examined by means of the glasses a very lino
specimen, perfectly while, which resorted for a couple of days to the marshes adjoining the river Adur,
between Shoreham and Beedinej, during the severe weather of January 1870.
REDWING.
TURDUS I L I A C U S.
THOUGH apparently good evidence has been obtained concerning the nesting of the Redwing in the British
Islands on more than one occasion, I have entirely failed to meet with the species during the summer mouths.
Towards the end of April 1877 a pair were repeatedly seen resorting to the garden of a shooting-lodge in the
Island of Lewis, the birds being exceedingly fearless, merely withdrawing to the shelter of a few stunted bushes
overhanging a rocky burn when disturbed. As they appeared to have taken up their quarters so contentedly,
the male singing gaily whenever a gleam of sunshine lighted up the dreary ;md well-nigh deserted glen, I was
in hopes they might remain and breed in the district. Unfort unntely, on the IM of May, the cock was killed hy
a Merlin, and a few days later the feathers of bis mate, who bad also evidently been destroyed hy a ll.iwk,
were found near the same spot. On but one or two other occasions were Redwings observed so late as May,
even in the more northern counties of Scotland.
I have but seldom met with any number of this species in the south of England till November. The earliest
entry in my notes concerning their arrival on the north-east coast of Scotland is under date of September 16,
1808, large flights on that occasion passing south over the lloss-sliire hills. Though the southern parts of
Greet Britain are usually deserted at an earlier date, stragirlers may frequently he seen in the north till well on
iu April, and (as previously stated) a bird or two lias come under my notice in May.
A considerable difference of opinion crisis concerning the note of the Redwing, some writers comparing
the song to that of the Nightingale, while others bold its vocal powers in but slight estimation. During the
last week in December 187!) a line male took up his quarters in a small plantation in our own garden near
Brighton. For several weeks he daily made bis appearance under the windows to claim his share with the regular
pensioners. After a time a strange note was frequently heard ; and watching closely, I delected the Redwing
perched on a birch tree, uttering a low and somewhat plaintive warble. The bird remained till March, taking
bis departure during the second week ; its song appeared to increase in power as the weather grew warmer.
At roosting-time Redwings usually repair to the shelter of woods and plantations where the timber is of
no great height, also to dense hedgerows and shrubberies in the vicinity of dwellings; when the wind blows
cold a sheltered and lonely situation is chosen, though in mild and open weather they perch at a higher elevation.
Numbers arc at times taken in bat folding nets ; but a keen and wintry blast is necessary to insure success.
While returning from tlighl-shooting on Somertou Broad, in the east of Norfolk, during March ] B71, I disturbed
on two consecutive nights immense numbers that, in company with Fieldfares, bad taken up their quarters iu a
large bod of reeds and Hags. Since that date I have not met with these birds in a similar spot, though by day
llocks were repeatedly watched searching about among the reeds in the water-dykes in Pevcnsey Level during
the cold weather in January 1SG7. Whether food or simply shelter was their object in creeping among the
stems of the plants it was impossible to ascertain, the naturalist to whom some specimens obtained were
sent having neglected to make the necessary examination.