Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/57

 

Notes from Wilsden, Yorkshire.—From observations extending over many years, I think that there cannot be any reasonable doubt, so far as this district is concerned, that a separation of sexes of many species of birds occurs on the approach of winter. A very large proportion of Sparrows which come to be fed in our garden are male birds—at least, not more than one female to three or four males—and the proportion of male Blackbirds is even greater; and this remark applies not only to those which frequent our garden, but to the whole district. It is hardly needless to refer to the Chaffinch, as this habit is so well known. We very seldom see a female here from early December to early February. Of the many other species which frequent the garden, the differences in the sexes being less striking than those already mentioned, make it a much more difficult matter to determine with any degree of certainty the relative proportion of the sexes in winter. It is, however, hardly likely that migration of females will be confined to the above-named species. Even amongst the class of birds which are so called "residents," it is, and has long been, a belief with me that there is much more migratory movement than has been generally acknowledged by ornithologists. I was called to look at a bird the other day which had been shot in the immediate neighbourhood, which proved to be a Hawfinch, a species whose status in our local avifauna has changed of late years, perhaps more than any other British bird. Speaking of this species, Mr. Jenyns, in his Manual published in 1835, says:—"Only an occasional visitant in this country during the winter months. Principally observed in the southern countries. In a few instances has been known to remain and breed. Feeds on haws and other stone fruits." Here, I think, it is commoner in summer than winter. We found last summer two nests in Wharfedale, almost in the identical places we found two in the year 1900. On dissection the above bird was found to have been feeding on wheat, which is somewhat curious, when what one would have thought its more natural food was abundant in the locality where it was shot. Another friend recently called here—a caretaker of one of the Bradford Corporation reservoirs—and gave a description of a bird he and another man had seen flying about the vicinity of his residence about the month of last September or October, which could be no other British bird than the Golden Oriole. We are quite aware how unreliable such descriptions usually are when given by casual observers, but this species is so very striking that, even allowing for a liberal dash of inaccuracy, it would be difficult to confound with any other bird. A race, if not a species, of Wren, differing from the Wren which nests here, is met with occasionally in early autumn on our high moors, and are evidently