Page:VCH Rutland 1.djvu/92

A HISTORY OF RUTLAND 1736, 'a flock of wild geese flew N.' He was then about sixteen years old. The notes consist chiefly of the dates of appearance for some of the commoner migrants, the first hearing of the song of the blackbird and thrush, and twice of the woodlark, and records of the passing-over of wild geese. The missel-thrush is not mentioned, nor is the skylark. The cuckoo is only once recorded in March. The true bird population of a locality consists of (a) true residents, found there, though not perhaps in the same numbers, all the year round, which of course nest in the district ; (6) summer residents that reside from March to October, more or less, and nest during their sojourn ; (c) regular birds of passage, some of which may on occasion remain en route and nest ; (J) regular winter visitants, some, again, of which may here and there remain through the summer and breed ; (<?) occasional, but fairly regular, visitors. In Rutland, of the true residents there are fifty-nine species, reckoning in the heron, which nests, indeed, outside the county, but is to be seen in Rutland any and every day of the year. Among these residents are counted the swan, introduced centuries ago ; the red-legged partridge, turned down in 1850; the hawfinch, which became noticeable about the middle of last century ; and the little owl [Athene noctud)^ which came over from Northamptonshire about 1890. The raven, buzzard, and kite died out, as resident species, a little before 1840, and the Norfolk plover twenty-five years or so later. As in most other districts, the woodlark and cirl bunting are rare, and the latter may be only a summer visitor. The summer migrants, our second class, number thirty-three, the stonechat (which apparently used to be a resident) and wood-warbler being rare, while the white wagtail may prove to be commoner than is at present supposed. The pied flycatcher is a true, though exceptional, summer visitor. The turtle-dove reached Rutland just about the time when the raven and kite departed ; the crested grebe came in about 1880, and the redshank, an unexpected and most desirable acquisi- tion, about 1890. There are only four regular birds of passage, the ring-ouzel and green sandpiper, which never stay to breed, and the common sandpiper, which has been known to nest, and the wheatear, which does so here and there, but much more sparingly than in former days. The regular winter visitants are nineteen in number, the siskin being rare, and the merlin and peregrine quite local. In the case of five species, viz., gray wagtail, woodcock, teal, snipe, water-rail, a few pairs remain through the summer and breed, but this is more or less unusual, except as regards the snipe and, to a greater extent than formerly, the woodcock. Lastly, there are about twenty occasional visitors, which come sufficiently often to be reckoned as part of the county fauna. The real bird population of Rutland will therefore consist of fifty-nine permanent residents, thirty-three summer visitors, four regular 56