Birds of Guernsey Part 3

The Reed Warbler, though entirely insectivorous, is a very tame and amusing cage-bird, and may easily be fed on raw meat chopped fine and a little hard-boiled egg; but its favourite food is flies, and of these it will eat any quant.i.ty, and woe even to the biggest bluebottle that may buzz through its cage, for the active little bird will have it in a moment, and after a few sharp snaps of the beak there is quite an end of the bluebottle. Daddy long-legs, too, are favourite morsels, and after a little beating about disappear down the bird's throat--legs, wings, and all, without any difficulty. The indigestible parts are afterwards cast up in pellets in the same manner as with Hawks.

I have never seen the nearly-allied and very similar Marsh Warbler, _Acrocephalus pal.u.s.tris_, in Guernsey, but, as it may occasionally occur, it may be as well perhaps to point out what little distinction there is between the species. This seems to me to consist chiefly in the difference of colour, the Reed Warbler, _Acrocephalus streperus_, at all ages and in all states of plumage, being a warmer, redder brown than _Acrocephalus pal.u.s.tris_, which is always more or less tinged with green. The legs in _A. streperus_ are always darker than in _A.

pal.u.s.tris_; the beak also in _A. pal.u.s.tris_ seems rather broader at the base and thicker. This bird also has a whitish streak over the eye, which seems wanting in _A. streperus._ These distinctions seem to me always to hold, good even in specimens which have been kept some time and have faded to what has now generally got the name of "Museum colour."

Mr. Dresser, in his 'Birds of Europe,' points out another distinction which no doubt is a good one in adult birds with their quills fully grown, but fails in young birds and in adults soon after the moult, before the quills are fully grown, and also before the moult if any quills have been shed and not replaced. This distinction is that in _A.

streperus_ the second (that is the first long quill, for the first in both species is merely rudimentary) is shorter than the fourth, and in _A. pal.u.s.tris_ it is longer.

Though I think it not at all improbable that the Marsh Warbler, _Acrocephalus pal.u.s.tris_, may occur in Guernsey, I should not expect to find it so much in the wet reed-beds in the Grand Mare and at the Vale pond as amongst the lilac bushes and ornamental shrubs in the gardens, or in thick bramble bushes in hedgerows and places of that sort.

36. SEDGE WARBLER. _Acrocephalus schoen.o.baenus_, Linnaeus. French, "Bee-fin phragmite."--The Sedge Warbler is by no means so common as the Reed Warbler, though, like it, it is a summer visitant, and is quite as local. I did not see any amongst the reeds which the Reed Warbler delighted in, but I saw a few amongst some thick willow hedges with thick gra.s.s and rushes growing by the side of the bank, and a small running stream in each ditch. Though perfectly certain the birds were breeding near, we could not find the nests. So well were they hidden amongst the thick gra.s.s and herbage by the side of the stream that Colonel l'Estrange and myself were quite beaten in our search for the nest, though we saw the birds several times quite near enough to be certain of their ident.i.ty. I did not shoot one for the purpose of identification, as perhaps I ought to have done, but I thought if I shot one it would be extremely doubtful whether I should ever find it amongst the thick tangle--certainly unless quite dead there would not have been a chance. I felt quite certain, however, that all I saw were Sedge Warblers; had I felt any doubt as to the possibility of one of them turning out to be the Aquatic Warbler, _Acrocephalus aquaticus_, I should certainly have tried the effect of a shot. As it is quite possible, however, that the Aquatic Warbler may occasionally, or perhaps regularly, in small numbers, visit the Channel Islands, as they are quite within its geographical range, I may point out, for the benefit of any one into whose hands it may fall, that it may easily be distinguished from the Sedge Warbler by the pale streak pa.s.sing through the centre of the dark crown of the head.

The Sedge Warbler is not mentioned by Professor Ansted in his list, and there is no specimen of either this or the Reed Warbler in the Museum.

37. DARTFORD WARBLER. _Melizophilus undatus,_ Boddaert. French, "Pitchou Provencal," "Bee-fin Pittechou."--The Dartford Warbler is by no means common in the Channel Islands--indeed I have never seen one there myself, but Miss C.B. Carey records one in the 'Zoologist' for 1874 as having been knocked down with a stone in the April of that year and brought into Couch's shop, where she saw it. I have no doubt of the correctness of this identification, as Miss Carey knew the bird well. I see no reason why it should not be more common in Guernsey than is usually supposed, as there are many places well suited to it, but its rather dull plumage, and its habit of hiding itself in thick furze-bushes, and creeping from one to another as soon as disturbed, contribute to keep it much out of sight, unless one knows and can imitate its call-note, in which case the male bird will soon answer and flutter up to the topmost twig of the furze-bush in which it may have previously been concealed, fluttering its wings, and repeating the call until again disturbed. This is the only occurrence of which I am aware in any of the Islands, included in the limits I have prescribed for myself; but Mr. Harvie Brown has recorded two seen by him near Greve de Lecq, in Jersey, in January. See 'Zoologist' for 1869, p. 1561.

It is not included in Professor Ansted's list, and there is no specimen in the Museum.

38. WHITETHROAT. _Sylvia rufa_, Boddaert. French, "Fauvette grise,"

"Bec-fin Grisette."--The Whitethroat has. .h.i.therto perhaps been better known by the name used in the former edition of 'Yarrell' and by Messrs.

Degland and Gerbe, _Curruca cinerea_, but in consequence of the inexorable rule of the British a.s.sociation the name "_rufa_," given by Boddaert in 1783, has now been accepted for this bird. I have not generally thought it necessary to point out these changes, but in this instance it seemed necessary to do so, as in the former edition of 'Yarrell' the Chiffchaff was called by the name _Sylvia rufa_, and this might possibly have caused some confusion unless the change had been pointed out.

The Whitethroat is by no means so common in the Channel Islands as it is in England, and though a regular summer visitant it only makes its appearance in small numbers. A few, however, may be seen about the fields and hedgerows in the more cultivated parts of the country. It certainly has not got the reputation for mischief in the garden it has in England, as none of the gardeners I asked about it, and who were complaining grievously of the mischief done by birds, ever mentioned the Whitethroat, or knew the bird when asked about it.

Professor Ansted includes the bird in his list, and restricts it to Guernsey, but I see no reason why it should not occur equally in Sark and Herm. There is no specimen at present in the Museum.

39. LESSER WHITETHROAT. _Sylvia curruca_, Linnaeus. French, "Bee-fin babillard."--Like the Whitethroat, the Lesser Whitethroat is a regular, but by no means a numerous summer visitant to Guernsey. I saw a few in the willow-hedges about the Grand Mare, and in one or two other places near there, and young Le Cheminant had one or two eggs in his collection, probably taken about L'Eree.

The Lesser Whitethroat is included in Professor Ansted's list, and only marked as occurring in Guernsey. There is at present no specimen in the Museum.

40. BLACKCAP. _Sylvia atricapilla_, Linnaeus. French, "Fauvette a tete noire," "Bec-fin a tete noire."--Though generally known as the Guernsey Nightingale, the Blackcap, though a regular, is by no means a numerous summer visitant. I have, however, always seen a few about every time I have been in the Island in the summer. There are a few eggs in the Museum, and in Le Cheminant's collection.

The Blackcap is mentioned by Professor Ansted in his list, and restricted to Guernsey. There is only one specimen--a female--at present in the Museum.

41. WILLOW WREN. _Phylloscopus trochilus_, Linnaeus. French, "Bee-fin Pouillat."--The Willow Wren is a tolerably numerous summer visitant, I believe, to all the Islands, though I have only seen it myself in Guernsey and Sark. In Guernsey I have seen it about the Grand Mare, and in some trees near the road about St. George, and about the Vallon on the other side of the Island. It remains all the summer and breeds.

Professor Ansted has not included it in his list, although it seems tolerably well known, and has a local name "D'mouaiselle," which Mr.

Metivier, in his 'Dictionary,' applies to the Willow Wren of the English. This name, however, is probably equally applicable to the Chiffchaff.

42. CHIFFCHAFF. _Phylloscopus collybita_, Vieillot. French, "Bee-fin veloce."--The Chiffchaff is certainly more common in Guernsey than the Willow Wren. In Guernsey I have seen it in several places; about Candie, where a pair had a nest this summer in the mowing-gra.s.s before the house; near the Vallon; and about St. George. I have also seen it in Sark, but not in either of the other Islands, though no doubt it occurs in Herm, if not in Alderney.

It is mentioned by Professor Ansted as occurring in Guernsey and Sark. I have never seen the Wood Wren in Guernsey, and, judging from its favourite habitations here in Somerset, I should not think it at all likely to remain in the Channel Islands through the summer, though an occasional straggler may touch the Islands on migration. There is no specimen of either the Chiffchaff or Willow Wren in the Museum.

43. GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. _Regulus cristatus_, Koch. French, "Roitelet ordinaire."--The Golden-crest is resident in the Islands, but not very numerous, and I doubt if its numbers are regularly increased in the autumn by migrants, as is the case in the Eastern Counties of England.

Migratory flocks, however, sometimes make their appearance; and Mr.

MacCulloch writes to me--"The Golden-crest occasionally comes over in large flocks, apparently from Normandy, flying before bad weather. This, however, cannot be said to have been the cause of the large flight that appeared here so recently as the last days in April," 1878. This flock was mentioned in the 'Star' of April the 27th as follows:--"A countryman informs us that a few days since, whilst he was at L'ancresse Common, he saw several flocks of these smallest of British birds, numbering many hundreds in each, settle in different parts of the Common before dispersing over the Island. In verification of his words he showed us two or three of these tiny songsters which he had succeeded in knocking down with a stick." This large migratory flock had entirely disappeared from L'ancresse Common when we went to live there for two months in May of the same year; there was not then a Golden Crest to be seen about the Common. The whole flock had probably resumed their journey together, none of them having "dispersed over" or remained in the Island, and certainly, as far as I could judge, the numbers in other parts of the Island had not increased beyond what was usual and one might ordinarily expect. I have not been able to learn that the migratory flock above spoken of extended to any of the other Islands.

The Golden-crested Wren is mentioned by Professor Ansted, and marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark. There are two--a male and female--in the Museum.

44. FIRE-CRESTED WREN. _Regulus ignicapillus_, C.L. Brehm. French, "Roitelet a triple bandeau."--I have a pair of these killed in Guernsey about 1872, but I have not the exact date; and Mr. Couch, who knew the Fire-crested Wren well, writing to me on the 23rd of March, 1877, says:--"I had the head and part of a Fire-crest female brought me by a young lady. She told me her brother knocked down two, and the other had a beautiful red and gold crest; so it must have been the male." As Mr.

Couch knew both the Goldcrest and Fire-crest well, and the distinction between them, I have no doubt he rightly identified the bird which was brought to him. These and the pair in my collection are the only Guernsey specimens I can be certain of.

The 'Star' newspaper, however, in the note above quoted as to the migratory flock of Golden-crests, says:--"It may be a fact hitherto unknown to many of our readers that the Fire-crested Wren, very similar in appearance to the Golden-crested Wren, is not very uncommon in our Island. The Fire-crested Wren so closely resembles its _confrere_, the Golden-crested Wren, that only a practised eye can distinguish the difference between them." I do not quite agree with the 'Star' as to the Fire-crest not being "very uncommon," though it occasionally occurs. I do not think it can be considered as anything but a rare occasional straggler. And this from its geographical distribution, which is rather limited, is what one would expect; it is not very common on the nearest coast of France or England, though it occasionally occurs about Torbay, which is not very far distant.

The name Fire-crest has probably led to many mistakes between this bird and the Golden-crest, as a brightly-coloured male Gold-crest has the golden part of the crest quite as bright and as deeply coloured as the Fire-crest; and the female Fire-crest has a crest not a bit more deeply coloured than the female Gold-crest. In point of fact the colour of the crest is of no value whatever in distinguis.h.i.+ng between the birds, and the "practised eye" would find itself puzzled if it only relied upon that.

The French name for the Fire-crest, however, "Roitelet a triple bandeau," is much more descriptive, as under the golden part of the crest there is a streak of black, and under that again a streak of white over the eye, and a streak of black through the eye; there is also a streak, or rather perhaps a spot of white, under the eye. The Gold-crest has only the streak of black immediately under the gold crest; below that the whole of the side of the face and the s.p.a.ce immediately surrounding the eye is a uniform dull olive-green. If this distinction is once known and attended to the difference between the two birds may be immediately detected by even the unpractised eye.

A very interesting account of the nesting of this bird is given by Mr.

Dresser, in his 'Birds of Europe,' he having made a journey to Altenkirchen, where the Fire-crest is numerous, on purpose to watch it in the breeding-season. The nest he describes as very like that of the Golden-crest; the eggs also are much like those of that bird, though a little redder in colour.

The Fire-crest is not mentioned in Professor Ansted's list, and there is no specimen at present in the Museum.

45. WREN. _Troglodytes parvulus_, K.L. Koch. French, "Roitelet,"

"Troglodyte mignon," "Troglodyte ordinaire."--The Wren is common and resident in all the Islands, and very generally distributed, being almost as common amongst the wild rocks on the coast as in the inland parts. On the 7th of July, 1878, I found a Wren's nest amongst some of the wildest rocks in the Island; the hinder part of the nest was wedged into a small crevice in the rock very firmly, the nest projecting and apparently only just stuck against the face of the rock. A great deal of material had been used, and the nest, projecting from the face of the rock as it did, looked large, and when I first caught sight of it I thought I might have hit upon an old Water Ouzel's nest. On getting close, however, I found it was only a Wren's, with young birds in it. I visited this nest several times, and saw the old bird feeding her young.

I could not, however, quite make out what she fed them with, but I think with insects caught amongst the seaweed and tangle amongst the rocks.

After the young were flown I took this nest, and was astonished to find, when it was taken out of the crevice, how much material had been used in wedging it in, and how firmly it was attached to the rock. This was certainly necessary to keep it in its place in some of the heavy gales that sometimes happen even at that time of year; in a very heavy north-westerly gale it would hardly have been clear of the wash of the waves at high water.

The Wren is included in Professor Ansted's list, but marked as only occurring in Guernsey. There is no specimen in the Museum.

46. TREE-CREEPER. _Certhia familiaris_, Linnaeus. French, "Grimpereau,"

"Grimpereau familier."--The Tree-creeper is resident and not uncommon in all the Islands, except perhaps Alderney, in which Island I have never seen it. In Guernsey it may be seen in most of the wooded parts, and frequently near the town, in the trees on the lawns at Candie, Castle Carey, and in the New Ground. I have never seen it take to the rocks near the sea, like the Wren.

It is mentioned in Professor Ansted's list, and marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark. There is no specimen in the Museum.

47. GREAT t.i.t. _Parus major_, Linnaeus. French, "Mesange Charbonniere."--The Paridae are by no means well represented in the Islands, either individually or as to number of species; and the Guernsey gardeners can have very little cause to grumble at damage done to the buds by the t.i.ts. The Great t.i.t is moderately common and resident in Guernsey, but by no means so common as in England. During the whole two months I was in the Island this last summer, 1878, I only saw two or three Great t.i.ts, and this quite agrees with my experience in June and July, 1866, and at other times.

The Great t.i.t is included in Professor Ansted's list, but only marked by him as occurring in Sark.

48. BLUE t.i.t. _Parus caeruleus_, Linnaeus. French, "Mesange bleue."--Like the Great t.i.t, the Blue t.i.t is resident in all the Islands, but by no means numerous. In Guernsey it is pretty generally distributed over the more cultivated parts, but nowhere so numerous as in England. It is included in Professor Ansted's list, and marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark.

I have not included either the Cole t.i.t or the Marsh t.i.t in this list, as I have never seen either bird in the Islands, and have not been able to find that they are at all known either in Guernsey or any of the other Islands.

Professor Ansted, however, includes the Cole t.i.t in his list, and marks it as occurring in Guernsey, but no other information whatever is given about it; and there is no specimen in the Museum, as there is of both the Great and the Blue t.i.ts. I have not succeeded in getting a specimen myself.

49. LONG-TAILED t.i.t. _Acredula caudata_, Linnaeus. French, "Masange a longue queue."[10]--The Long-tailed t.i.t is certainly far from common in Guernsey at present, and I have never seen it in the Islands myself. But Mr. MacCulloch writes me word--"The Long-tailed t.i.t is, or at least was, far from uncommon. Probably the destruction of orchards may have rendered it less common. The nest was generally placed in the forked branch of an apple-tree, and so covered with grey lichens as to be almost indistinguishable. I remember, in my youth, finding a nest in a juniper-bush."