Читать книгу Birds Nesting and Egg Collecting - J. G. Black - Страница 14

Eyes and Ears.—You will never make much of a birds-nester if you do nothing but search for nests. Get to know the birds, both by sight and by sound, and you will have far more success and get far more fun out of it. If you hear a Jay screech once, or catch a glimpse of him sneaking into a wood in the early morning, you will think it worth while to climb up to every nest in the wood till you find the right one. Whereas if you went in just hunting for nests in general, by the time you had been up to a dozen or so of old Squirrels or Woodpigeons, and got your eyes and mouth full of dust, hands and knees and face scratched, and twigs and pine needles all down your back, you would most likely get fed up with the whole thing; but not half so fed up as that morning a month or so later, when you found the whole wood full of young Jays, screeching in every tree, and realized what you had missed. I remember being in a wood one morning with some boys, and hearing a Garden Warbler singing at the opposite edge. We walked straight to the sound, and presently arrived at a bed of nettles and brambles which ran all down the side of the wood. At the first poke of the stick out flew Mrs. Garden Warbler off her nest, and we had our reward. Of course, if we had spent half an hour beating out that bed of nettles we should most likely have found that nest and perhaps one or two more; but that particular morning we had to get home to breakfast, and in any case I think you will agree that our way was far the best.

I have tried in this book to tell you as much as I can about the look of the birds, and sometimes about their notes as well, but the last is very difficult. You will generally find if you whisper such words as “Whee-you,” or “Quick-be-quick,” you will get a good idea of the call they are meant for, but a great many of them can’t be put into words at all; anyhow I advise you to do all you can to get to know every bird you fall in with.

Some birds one seldom sees, but their voices are generally to be heard near their nesting-place. Others are easily recognized either by bright colours or striking attitudes, or peculiar flight. Nobody who has ever seen a Kestrel or Kingfisher in flight, for instance, will have much difficulty in knowing them next time. And the more birds you know, the more likely you are to spot the rare ones when you come across them. If you can get a good look at a stranger close to or through a glass, you should be able to find his portrait in a bird-book when you get home; or if you look up his points in the index at the end of this book you may find out all about him even quicker.

Now suppose you know what bird it is, but nothing else, this book will tell you whether it is time for eggs yet, and if so where to look and what sort of nest to expect. And that brings us to the actual searching for nests.

Experience.—Nobody is very good at finding nests until he has found so many that he generally knows exactly what he is looking for. Any hole in a bank looks like a Robin’s nest at first, but once you have learnt his particular trick of packing in the dead leaves you won’t waste nearly so much time on mouse-holes. And your first Plover’s nest is generally a bit of a shock; you feel as if you had been staring hard at those eggs without seeing them—as you probably have; but each one you find makes the next easier to see, because you are getting to know what to expect. So experience will teach you far more than any book, but I will try to give you a few hints that may be helpful.

Hedges.—Hedges and bushes are often very thick, but you can see through most of them by getting underneath and looking upwards. The hedge round a wood may be closely clipped on the outside, but get into the wood and you will have a good view of any nests that are in it; and these hedges are often very good.

Woods.—Go very quietly among the trees. When you see a likely-looking nest, one should go and tap the trunk of the tree, while the other stands back where he has a good view, not only of the nest you are after, but of the trees round about, for your tapping may easily put other birds off their nests, and it saves time and trouble if you can see exactly where they come from. You should not abandon a really promising nest if nothing comes off, for a Sparrow-hawk often sits very close, and Owls generally do so, while I have even known a Magpie to wait till I was half-way up the tree before she would move.

When you are up a tree, even if the nest is empty you can often see into various others in the neighbouring trees, so that it may easily be worth while going higher while you are about it.

Squirrels’ Nests.—You should get to know a Squirrel’s nest when you see it from the ground, if possible, and you will save yourself some trouble. It may be in any part of the tree, from the trunk to the end of a branch. It is seldom round, more often the shape of a Rugger football, but flattened at the top and bottom. The nest is cased in twigs, which generally have their thin ends pointing all one way, and are not woven round and round as a bird builds; inside is a mass of fine grass, moss, etc., with a hole burrowed in at the side; but this stuff is just packed in and no more built than a mouse’s nest or a hedgehog’s. If you find one lined with soft down (the squirrel’s own), you may expect to find young ones in it shortly. I have generally found them about April 1st, but sometimes later in the Summer.

Squirrels build both Summer and Winter nests (the latter generally low down and against the trunk), and as they get more solid with age they last nearly for ever, so that the woods get full of them, and they are an awful nuisance. Throw the old ones down and they won’t trouble you again. I have known a brown owl to use one for her nest, scratching through the top to make a place for her eggs, but they are not worth leaving on the chance of that, as she would rather have a Magpie’s nest anyway.

Undergrowth.—The best way to explore nettles, brambles and other thick cover is to poke about quietly with your stick, so as not to disturb the small birds till you are nearly touching them. If you make too much noise they will slip away unseen and unheard; and you will frighten pheasants off their nests, when if you parted the stuff gently you could generally have a good look at them and leave them undisturbed. This is best for all parties, as nothing will bring a keeper along so surely as hearing a pheasant get off her nest in a hurry.

Open Country.—If you are looking for Curlews and other birds that rise at the sight of man, you should take advantage of hollows and walls and anything that will hide you, so as to appear suddenly and unexpectedly on the scene. Then if you see a bird fly away low, and in a big hurry, go straight to the spot, and its ten to one you find a nest. A bird rising a long way off is hard to mark, but if two of you can manage to appear at the same moment about fifty yards apart, and each mark the line of the place and go straight for it, the nest should not be far from where you meet.

Birds with covered nests mostly sit close, and the best way to find them is to walk in line, two or three yards apart, up and down the likely places till you have covered all the ground.

Holes.—You should have a look at all holes, whether in trees, walls or rocks, as the supply is limited and lots of birds want them. Often you can see right into a hole, and a match or a flashlight will help with the darker ones; but even when the hole is too deep to see into, there are generally some signs to show if it is occupied, such as odd strands of hair or moss sticking about the entrance, or a sort of dirty polish round the edges, made by the bird rubbing against the stone or wood as she goes in and out. Of course a spider’s web across the hole will show you that it is not occupied, and if there are no signs you still have your little wire scoop to settle the question one way or the other. A little hook will soon bring up something to show if there is a nest there.

Ponds and Lakes.—Often the weeds are so tall and thick that you can’t see where the nests are. If there is a decent tree anywhere near, shin up it and you will see all you want; but don’t forget to mark the spot on the bank from which to start for each one, while you are up there, for they will be just as invisible as ever when you are on the ground again. There is a certain lake where I have done good work with field-glasses from a crag alongside, even to counting the eggs in the nests; but there it was very important to mark your starting-place right, as you had quite a long walk round to get there.

Wading.—Remember a pond is generally soft at the bottom and deeper than it looks, and if you find you have to turn your trousers further up before you are half-way there, come right back and take them off—circumstances permitting. Of course if the owner is likely to come down like a wolf on the fold. . . . but we all have some common sense! There is not much danger in ponds, and you can soon tell if it is getting too soft for you. If there is a hard bottom under the mud you can go in up to your chin.

Swimming.—You may have to swim for some nests. It is worth it for sometimes like a Great Crested Grebe, or sometimes there is an island in a lake that is worth visiting. But don’t try it at all unless you are a really good swimmer and sure of yourself anywhere; and if you are, beware of the weeds that don’t quite reach the top of the water. If you do get into a patch by mistake, keep your legs up and you’ll get through all right, but if you let them down you may easily get tied up. When you get to tall reeds or bulrushes you can pull yourself along by them all right with a few scratches, even if you can’t get a footing among the roots, which is rather a risky thing to try, as if you break through it will most likely take a rope to get you out. And the nearest rope?—probably too far for you.

One other point: if you go swimming, take something to bring your eggs back in. Nature has forgotten to give us any pockets, and you will need your mouth for breathing. What you take I leave to you. I have used a field-glass case, but it didn’t improve it.

Watching.—So much for searching for nests, and very good fun it is. But there is another way of finding them which is even more exciting, and that is watching the birds till you get them to show you where the nest is. It needs plenty of time and patience, and boys are apt to be short of both; but once you try it I think you will get more satisfaction out of one nest found this way than a good many you have come upon haphazard. You not only have the joy of beating the birds at their own game of patience, but you get to know them and all their little ways, and there are few sights more fascinating than a wild creature going about its business with no idea that you are watching it.

I don’t suppose you will care to spend much time watching any but rare birds, or birds whose nests you can’t find otherwise; but often you will want to sit down for a rest, or lunch, and if you choose a likely spot, where you are fairly well hidden but have a good view, you will often find birds betraying their nests before you have been there ten minutes. I was once sitting with my back against a tree (watching some Pied Flycatchers in the distance) when a Willow Wren flew down and into her nest less than one yard from my left foot. I had not been there ten minutes, but I sat perfectly still, and that is the whole secret of watching birds, or any wild creatures.

Now for some practical hints. We will suppose you have disturbed the birds, but failed to find the nest. Choose a spot, not too near, from which you have a good view of the place where the nest ought to be. If you can get well hidden, so much the better; but remember the nest may be quite a long way from where you think it is, so make sure of your view first and foremost. If you can’t hide yourself and see as well, choose a good background, hedge, tree-trunk, wall or bank, and a comforatble seat; for once you have settled down, you must not move till you have won the game (or lost your patience). And don’t be in a hurry to think you have got the secret; birds are sometimes very cunning. I was once watching a Wheatear which I knew must have a nest in a loose stone wall. The first time she went into a hole I was delighted, but just as I was going to move, out she came again, and in the next twenty minutes she was in and out of twenty different holes. When at last she seemed to have gone in for good I could hardly believe it, and gave her five minutes by my watch before I went and looked; but it really was the nest this time.

There is one dodge which will shorten the time you have to wait, if you can manage it. Take a friend with you as far as your hiding-place, and when you are settled down let him go right away about his own business. The birds will watch him safely off the premises, forget all about you, and carry on as if they had the whole place to themselves. They seem to have no head for mathematics, and think 2–1 = 0. Perhaps two or more assistants going away would work better, but I have never tried it.

You will find field-glasses most useful at this game, when for any reason you can’t get near the spot, as well as for finding out what sort of bird you have seen at any time, without going so near as to frighten it. If you see a bird with building material in her mouth before she sees you (as you very often will with glasses) you ought not to have long to wait before you have her secret. Then it is best to mark the spot carefully, but not to go near it till you have given her time to lay her eggs. Many birds are very touchy at such times, and will leave a half-finished nest if you so much as look at it.

When the birds are sitting, you may be able to steal up unobserved within sight of their haunt, when it should be easy to find the nest if you can see both birds; but if only one is on view the other is most likely on the nest, and you had better waste no more time, but walk boldly about the place till you either find the nest or see the other bird about. Then you can retire to a respectful distance and start on your game of patience.

FIG. 3—CHAFFINCH

(see page 63)

FIG. 4—LINNET

(see page 65)

You have to be very keen to play this game in the wet; but don’t forget that there is nothing like rain for bringing birds back to their nests in a hurry, and you can often be taking shelter from a heavy shower and doing a bit of detective work at the same time.