Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/143

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ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK.
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Humber, and the particulars have been communicated to Mr. Howard Saunders. Mr. Lee was too familiar with this nest in Scotland to require the eggs, which he therefore left to the old bird, but we never learnt if they hatched off. Mr. Lee had also the chance of watching a pair of Montagu's Harriers which were breeding, and of seeing the grey male hover some seventy feet above the marsh where the female was sitting, and then drop prey—probably a mouse—which its mate quickly rising caught in the air. Another discovery was a Willow Warbler's nest at Cringleford, almost five feet from the ground; Mr. Mitchell, however, refers to nests in Lancashire at heights of sixteen and fourteen feet. Here I ought to mention the abundance of Nightingales, which were also recognized by my son in April in Morocco, being then on their way to England. Also the finding of a Pied Wagtail's nest at Cringleford containing two young Cuckoos, and of a Spotted Flycatcher's nest at Braconash, also tenanted by two young Cuckoos, one of which ejected the other.

27th.—The Jackdaws have been uncommonly troublesome, taking fourteen young Pheasants from one coop; like Books, they are always worse in dry weather.

28th.—Dotterel, female, "telegraphed" at Holkam.

29th.—Spoonbill on Breydon (Patterson).

June.

11th.—Hooded Crow seen by Mr. H.M. Wallis.

14th.—A pair of Tufted Ducks on Wroxham Broad (Wallis).

23rd.-— A Green-backed Porphyrio, male, shot at Martham Broad, about two miles from the sea; taken to Mr. E.C. Saunders (cf. 'The Field,' 1897, July 3rd).

July.

2nd.—About one hundred Redshanks on a mud-flat near Duffell's Road, Breydon, considered by Mr. Patterson to be locally bred, the date being too early for migrants.

3rd.—Another Green-backed Porphyrio, male, shot at Martham Broad (Rev. M. Bird; cf. 'The Field,' 1897, Aug. 7th).

9th.—Five Shoveller Ducks on Breydon (Chambers).

12th.—Wind E.At eleven a.m. a Spoonbill appeared on Breydon, where at four o'clock it was to all appearance asleep,