ORNITHOLOGICAL RECORD FOR NORFOLK FOR 1896.
By J.H. Gurney.
(Assisted by Messrs. T. Southwell, M. Bird, A. Patterson, and H. Pashley.)
The great feature of the year 1896 was the autumn migration, but before allowing myself to dwell on this absorbing topic I have a good account to render of the breeding of Terns, Waterfowl, and Game. For instance, in May three pairs of handsome Shovellers nested in a certain spot, which I will not particularise; and, better still, no less than nine pairs of Sheldducks were credibly reported to have brought out their young among the sand-hills. I need not copy notes about common nests, but it is interesting to hear from Mr. T. Southwell of a Cuckoo's egg in a Willow Warbler's nest, and two more were hatched off in Robins' nests. Two pairs of Stock-Doves nested in tubs which I had put up for Owls, and another laid its egg in the same oak-tree as contained a Barn Owl's nest. Young Barn Owls bred in May were still in their hollow tree, in the nest, in August, and on one occasion we found them (but this was earlier) sitting on two dead rats. They undoubtedly prefer the neighbourhood of man and his dwellings, as they are also said to do in America, and it must be solely because there are more mice and small rats there for them. At eight o'clock my Barn Owls generally went out to search for prey, and I do not believe they ever brought back a single head of game. The Rev. Maurice Bird met with a Short-eared Owl's nest containing six young, near the locality of the nest of which the late Henry Seebohm has given such a graphic description; and I am glad to say he reports that Bearded Tits did fairly well in their now limited area on our "Broads." There were two Montagu's Harriers' nests, within a few miles of one another, in the usual district, containing eggs; and four young ones, which may have come from one of these nests, were sent by Mr. Laidlay to the Zoological Gardens, two of which were more rufous than the others, and differed in size. It is doubtful if the Hen Harrier has nested in Norfolk during the last fifty years, the
