File:Birds of the water, wood and waste (1910) (14748041154).jpg

Identifier: birdsofwaterwood00guth (find matches)
Title: Birds of the water, wood & waste
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Guthrie-Smith, H. (Herbert), 1861-1940
Subjects: Birds Photography of birds
Publisher: Wellington, N. Z. : Whitcombe & Tombs
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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ction of extraordinary neat-ness, and executed with acrobatic exactitude.After a short time, probably finding thathe would not approach her, the hen flewoff her nest and took it from him. It is not to be thought, however that apale of desolation reigns round about theFalcons nest. From different coverts ased by me ondifferent nests could be heard the Warblertrilling, the Fantail creaking, and the callsof Thrush, Quail, Waxeye, Blackbird, Lark,Redpole, and Chaffinch. All these speciesseem to dweU in the dangerous vicinity ofthe Falcon, as folk camp serenely on theslopes of a volcano slumbering, but whichmay at any moment break out afresh; orit may be that, like station collies whohave taken to worrying, the Falcon prefersto do his killing far afield. The eggs, two, or less frequently, three innumber, are so thickly peppered andsprmkled with red as to quite obscure theground colour. The young Falcon, whenfirst hatched are covered with white down,as their age increases it changes to grey
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WOOD AND WASTE m and is not altogether gone when flight isfirst attempted. Even when there are threeeggs my experience has been that theyusually hatch out, but in that case out ofthe three nestlings one is distinctly smallest. Often, however, there are but two chicks,one considerably the larger, and probablythe female. During the season of 1908-1909 I had aFalcons nest under observation at the baseof a conglomerate cliff on the pumaceouslands. Tall manuka poles supported againstthe pebbly wall made a capital lean-to,round them scrim was wrapped, and finallybrushwood piled on top. Thus, within two or three yards of thenest the most intimate details of Falconfamily life was open to me. Everything that is good can be said oftheir housekeeping—the little ones areadmirably brought up. There is no quarrel-ing, except, sometimes indeed at meal times,no snatching at food is tolerated, eventhough the young may be whining withexcitement and hunger. With their eyesfixed on the prey beneath the

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