Page:VCH Buckinghamshire 1.djvu/193

Rh 166. Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus fulicarius (Linn.).

Of rare occurrence in autumn and winter. Mr. Clark Kennedy (p. 198) wrote: 'Out of the flocks which visited England in the autumn of 1866, a single specimen only seems to have occurred in Buckinghamshire. This bird was seen on the canal at Halton.' No doubt the bird will occasionally occur on larger waters, as specimens were obtained on the Tring reservoirs in 1891 and near Tring in 1899, all close to the Bucks boundary.

[Red-necked Phalarope. Phalaropus hyperboreus (Linn.).

This also might occur occasionally in Buckinghamshire, as one was obtained at the Tring reservoirs in October 1885. (This is recorded by the late John Littleboy as P. fulicarius through an error of E. Roth- schild's.)]

167. Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula, Linn.

The woodcock is a regular migrant in the county, though nowhere numerous. It breeds occasionally, though we have no records of recent date. The eggs have been taken near Beaconsfield, and Mr. Kennedy procured an example from a wood near Burnham in the spring of 1867. A few pairs have been known to breed in the ' sixties ' near Stoke and at New Woods, Burnham, as well as near Brickhill (Kennedy, p. 115). It nested in the woods above Drayton Lodge about fifteen years ago, but the eggs were deserted, because one of the parents was shot by a neighbour- ing keeper (W. R.).

168. Great Snipe. Gallinago major (Gmelin).

Must certainly occur now and then as a migrant, though we have no records for Buckinghamshire. The statement in the Birds of Hertfordshire, p. 213, that an albino variety has been obtained near Tring in 1880 is erroneous, this variety being that of a com- mon snipe.

169. Common Snipe. Gallinago cælestis, Frenzel.

Gallinago gallnago (Linn.). Common in suitable places, i.e. wherever there is marshy ground. According to Mr. Kennedy nests have been found on East Burnham Common. Mr. Alan F. Grossman told us that he saw and heard this bird drum- ming on Farnham Common, and that he was told that it was to be found there every year. E. Hartert also heard it there last spring. In the severe winter of 1867 snipes were reported as so tame that they ventured on to the doorsteps near Eton, and flew only a few yards when disturbed. During con- tinuous hard weather many die of starvation.

170. Jack Snipe. Gallinago gallinula (Linn.).

Certainly much less frequent than the common snipe, but probably occurring wher- ever that is found, though generally less partial to swampy ground and not seldom flushed from meadows and fields. Kennedy mentions Chesham, Missenden and Slapton as localities where it had occurred. Near Tring, close to the Buckinghamshire borders, it occurs sparingly every year, and there are several specimens from the reservoirs and the ' flats ' in the museum.

171. Wilson's Snipe. Gallinago wilsoni, Temminck.

(The proper name is G. delicata, Ord. [1825], the name wilsoni being given in 1826.)

Acording to Mr. Harting (Handbook, 1901, p. 434) a specimen was obtained at Taplow on August r, 1863. Neither Saunders nor Sharpe have quoted this occurrence. It was first published in the Zoologist, 1872, p. 3273.

172. Dunlin. Tringa alpina, Linn.

In spring, late summer and autumn but not at all periods of the year a more or less regular visitor to the banks of the Thames and other rivers, as well as to all reservoirs or large ponds.

173. Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisler.

Might possibly be found occasionally, as it was obtained on the Tring reservoirs in August 1883 and on July 29, 1893. (Speci- men in Tring Museum.) 174. Curlew-Sandpiper. Tringa subarquata (Gttldenstädt).

We have no evidence of this bird's occur- rence in Buckinghamshire, but it is sure to occur exceptionally, as it sometimes visits the Tring reservoirs, where, among others, three young birds were shot on September 3, 1892, and are now preserved in the Tring Museum.

175. Sanderling. Calidris arenaria (Linn.)

Clark Kennedy says that one was shot on the river Thames near Surley Hall in winter 1866. We have not seen the sanderling on the Tring reservoirs recently, though it oc- curred there at least as late as 1886 ; but on 1 8 August, 1902, an adult male, changing into winter plumage, was shot by Mr. T. Horwood near Drayton Beauchamp.