Page:VCH Staffordshire 1.djvu/186

 A HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE ham and Betley, but none of these ever be- came established heronries. In 1893, when the Birds of Staffordshire was published, three heronries were mentioned at Aqualate, where there were only about six nests in 1892 but none in 1893, although as many as forty or fifty have been built in some years in Bagots Park, where there were nineteen nests on young oak trees in 1893, and at Patshull where there were about ten nests, and the birds are strictly preserved by Lord Dartmouth. In 1901 there were only two or three nests at Aqualate. The Aqualate and Bagots Park heronries are of ancient origin, but that of Patshull is more recent. A curious point in reference to the Aqualate birds is that every year one or more pairs nested among the reeds at the side of the mere. Some large pellets picked up at Bagots Park were com- posed of the hair of voles, rats and mice. Isolated pairs have been also known to breed in Dovedale and the Ham valley. 117. Purple Heron. Ardea purpurea, Linn. One was shot at Wetmore on I July 1856 (E. Brown, Fauna of Burton, p. 105). Some additional particulars are given in the Birds of Derbyshire, p. 154, on the authority of Mr. C. Hanson, who states that it was killed as it sat in a pollard willow on the banks of the Trent on the Derbyshire side, as he thinks. 1 1 8. Squacco Heron. Ardea ralloides, Scopoli. Recorded as having occurred in the county, a male having been shot on the banks of the Dove near Colon on 17 May 1874 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. ioi ; see also Science Gossip, 1875, p. 4). 119. Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta (Linn.) A rare straggler. Garner mentions one from the Dove or Trent (Mr. Emery), and Mr. E. Brown (Fauna of Burton, p. 228) states that one was killed at King's Bromley about 1838. One is reported to have been shot near Hanley, May 1901, but further details are needed. 1 2O. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.) Formerly plentiful, nesting in the county. Sir O. Mosley states that when a boy he fre- quently heard in the evening the ' boom ' of the bittern, which then frequented the osier beds on the banks of the Trent and Dove (Nat. Hist. ofTuttury, p. 53). A few still visit us as winter migrants, but most of them are unfortunately shot. Stuffed specimens ob- tained in the district are to be found in many cottages round Eccleshall. In the Birds of Staffordshire (p. ioi) definite records of some twelve occurrences are given. 121. White Stork. Cicoma alba, Bechstein. Garner says vaguely that it has occurred several times on the Dove (p. 284). Sir O. Mosley gives some details : one was shot by Mr. Emery some years since and another is said to have been obtained near Abbots Bromley (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, pp. 54, 105). 122. Glossy Ibis. P/egadis falcinellus (Linn.) One was shot on the Trent at Fradley in 1840 (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, pp. 54, 105). Another was shot 'many years ago' at Walton- on-Trent (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 159). 123. Spoonbill. Platalea leucorodia, Linn. One shot by Mr. D. Hopkins in Rolles- ton Park on 14 June 1872, is now in the Rolleston Hall museum. 124. Flamingo. Phoenicopterus roseus, Pallas. Early in September 1881 an adult flam- ingo was seen for a week or so on the estate of the late Sir John H. Crewe in the northern part of Staffordshire, but having crossed the river Manifold to another property it was captured and taken to the owner of the land, by whom it was kept alive for a few days and then killed (H. Saunders, Manual, ed. 2, 1899, p. 395, and Yarrell's British Birds, ed. 4, iv. 245). 125. Grey Lag-Goose, dnsercinereus, Meyer. A rare winter visitor, formerly frequently seen passing over the county on migration. Sir O. Mosley and Mr. E. Brown agree that it was plentiful ' fifty years ago ' (i.e. about 1813), but it is doubtful whether any of the geese that still visit the Trent valley belong to this species. Mr. E. A. Brown has examined one killed at Burton and another was shot at Swythamley in 1869 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 103). 126. White-fronted Goose. Anser albifrons (Scopoli) This species is included in Garner's list but no details are given. It is however known to visit the Trent valley (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 1 60). One was shot near Wolverhampton 12 January 1901 by Mr. Harold Twentyman (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1903). [Bean Goose. Anser segetum (J. F. Gmelin) Included in Sainter's list ; a very doubtful record.] 127. Pink-footed Goose. Anser brachyrhynchus, Baillon. Probably this is the species most frequently seen in the Trent valley, but specimens are 152