Whinchat and the Stonechat which must be mentioned. A
considerable portion of the Stonechats pass the winter in
Britain ; but the Whinchats, almost to a bird, depart in
autumn to go farther south. The similarity in various points
between these two birds has induced a partial belief that the
Whinchats, like the Stonechats, remained here during the
winter. Pennant thought they did not migrate, only shifted
their quarters ; but I am not aware of more than two authentic
instances of the Whinchat being seen here in winter.
Mr. Neville Wood, in his British Song Birds, quotes the
following communication :—“ My correspondent, Mr. H.
Barlow of Cambridge, informs me that during the remarkably
mild winter of 1833, he observed the Whinchat hopping
about near some furze-brakes in his neighbourhood. The
bird was seen on the 15th of January and on the 20th of
February, but only on those two occasions, though the common
was visited every clear day in those two months.1'’
Among various notes in reference to Birds and Fishes, sent
me by the Rev. Robert Holdsworth of Brixham, is the following
:— “ In a path near my residence, situated at the
entrance of the river Dart, in one of the warmest spots in
England, I found a Whinchat dead during a very severe frost,
January 20th, 1829. Wind N. E.”
The Whinchat makes its appearance in the southern and
south-eastern parts of this country about the middle of April,
and arrives in the northern counties by the end of that
month: it does not, however, begin to build so soon as the
Stonechat, but is usually about a fortnight later. Its song
is agreeable, generally given from an elevated position on a
furze-bush, or while hovering in the air over it. Like most
song birds, it is prone to imitate the notes of others ; and the
Whinchat appears to have been an especial favourite with
Mr. Sweet, who was well known for his partiality to, and
successful treatment of, the Warblers in confinement, and has
published his method of treatment. One of these birds
brought up from the nest by Mr. Sweet used to sing the
whole day through, and very often at n ight: it sang the notes
of the Whitethroat, Redstart, Willow Warbler, Missel
Thrush, and Nightingale. The food of the Whinchat is
worms, insects, small testaceous mollusca, slugs, and berries.
The nest, generally placed on the ground, is similar to
that of the Stonechat, formed with a little moss and bents of
grass, lined with finer bents : the eggs, five or six, of a uniform
bluish green, with some minute specks of dull reddish
brown ; the length of the egg nine lines, and six lines and a
half in breadth. Mr. Jenyns says, the young are hatched
towards the end of May, and two broods are produced in the
season. In the month of August, when fat, though smaller
in size than the WTeatear, they are not otherwise inferior to
it as an article of food for the table.
Whinchats may rather be said to be general than numerous,
and are usually seen in pairs only, till their young
leave the nest. They are observed in all the counties
around London ; and in a southern and western direction, in
Hampshire and Dorsetshire; but more rare in Devonshire,
and still more so in Cornwall. Montagu says they are plentiful
in Somersetshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire; are
observed in Wales ; and, according to Mr. Templeton and
Mr. Thompson, are regular summer visiters to Ireland.
North of the counties surrounding London, the Whinchat is
seen in Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland
; and, still further north, was seen by Mr. Selby in
Sutherland, and by Mr. Macgillivray in the Hebrides; but
is not included among the Birds of Orkney or Shetland.
The Whinchat visits Denmark, and was observed by Mr.
Hewitson to be rather numerous in those parts of Norway
that were clear of wood; and, according to M. Nilsson, it
arrives in Sweden by the end of April. I t is found also,