File:Britain's birds and their nests (1910) (14755360875).jpg

Identifier: britainsbirdsthe00thom (find matches)
Title: Britain's birds and their nests
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Thomson, Arthur Landsborough, Sir, 1890- Thomson, J. Arthur (John Arthur), 1861-1933 Rankin, George
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain Birds -- Nests
Publisher: London : W. & R. Chambers
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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se preparations were complete. The closelyallied White-headed or Bald Eagle of North America oftenresorts to piratical methods. When that much more suc-cessful fisherman the Osprey (or Fish-Hawk) is bearinghome his prey, the tyrant swoops at him, and withthreatening movements forces him to drop the fish. Then,darting like a thunderbolt, head first, and with wingsworking to increase the awe-inspiring speed, the Eagleovertakes the falling fish and sweeps off with it in anascending curve. Although of immense strength, the Sea-Eagle shows littleboldness in its hunting. Except when pressed by hungerit seldom attacks a bird or mammal of any size, and it issubject to serious annoyance, although not actual attack,from Falcons, Crows, Gulls, and others, near whose nestsit may stray; a pair of Skuas, for instance, will completelybeat it off. It will also allow itself to be driven from acarcass by a dog, and will venture nothing but feignedswoops while its canine rival is satisfying its hxinger.
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Plate 58. COMMON BUZZARD—^///^^ vidgaris. Length, 21 in. ; wing, 14-5 in. (AcciPlTRES : Falconidae.)X 188 BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 189 When an Otter has caught a fish and is eating it onsome rock, an Eagle has been seen patiently awaiting itsdeparture in order to obtain what was left. In nesting habits the Erne resembles the precedingspecies in general details. The eyrie is of the samenature, and is usually placed on a clifF-ledge, whethercoastal or inland. Trees and even large bushes are alsonot uncommon sites, those on islets in large lakes beingespecially favoured. The nest may indeed be on theground; in some swampy regions it is a large pile ofsticks rising many feet above the mud. On a flat islet ina small lake in Harris, one of the Hebrides, a pair ofthese birds bred for many years, although there are loftycrags in the neighbourhood.* The eggs are laid in April, and are two in number, asa rule. They are pvire white in colour, sometimes with afew reddish specks about th

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