No wild bird has perhaps to pay so large a tribute in eggs and individuals to man, and yet remains as common and abundant, as the Lapwing.
Early in March he appears on the marsh or water-meadows, where he or his parents before him have been accustomed to spend the summer; sometimes dry fields at some distance from the water are chosen, but as a rule it is never far from a river, stream, or even a moderate-sized pond. Although many pairs often nest in the same field, fierce battles take place between the males for the mates of their choice, but there is more “show” than strife, lengthy aerial chases with much calling out but very little serious fighting. Once, however, these early difficulties have been overcome, the colony settles down in peace, a few ousted pairs being left to seek some fresh ground.
The nest is merely a shallow platform of roots and bents, placed on a small hollowed-out “scrape” on the ground. Over the actual choice of a site there seems to be some difficulty, as many “scrapes” are generally to be found within a few yards of the spot eventually chosen. Towards the latter end of March the four pear-shaped eggs, so well known in poulterers’ shops, are laid, and the hen commences her incubation duties, which last about nineteen days. During this period her mate wanders about in the vicinity of the nest, keeping an ever-watchful eye for any intruder. As soon as we are seen approaching he is up in the air, flying round with a great noise and performing at the same time a curious tumble, but recovering himself before touching the ground; after two or three minutes of these antics however, he goes away, having apparently no further interest in us or the place. We may then walk about the field in vain so far as that pair is concerned, for they will not return to settle while we are there and the eggs are so protectively coloured that the chances of our seeing them, even if we walk right by them, are exceedingly remote. While we were watching the male bird perform his curious antics, the hen, warned by his cries, quietly slipped off the nest, and flying low skimmed the next hedge and so away, and he, having watched her safely into a neighbouring field, goes off to join her and leaves us to find the eggs if we can. If we retire, however, they will not be long gone; he will soon fly back, and having ascertained that the danger is over and uttered no warning cry, she will immediately follow, and settling near the nest, run to it and once more cover her eggs. When the young are hatched, however, matters are very different; both birds will then rise, and flying round our heads beseech us with piteous cries to leave their young alone.
These cries serve the purpose of making the young squat and hide, and their greyish green down with black mottlings so exactly assimilates in colour with the ground, that they are almost impossible to see. The young leave the nest as soon as they are hatched, and utter a feeble cry not unlike that of the adults; at first their parents feed them most carefully, picking up grubs, flies, spiders, or any other insect that comes their way, while the young run up and take it from their beaks, but in a few days they feed themselves, though still carefully watched and fed by their parents. When they are full grown, at about six weeks old, they collect in large flocks and wander over the country. In October and November enormous flocks come over from the Continent and settle often for three weeks or a month in a particular field, which is usually resorted to yearly by these birds. As winter comes on they wander about according to the weather, wherever they can find suitable food, but with the first warm days of February the return north begins, and March finds them back once more in their summer home.
LAPWING
Vanellus vulgaris
Adult, summer (right). Young (left)
The upper parts are of a beautiful metallic green, the crown of the head and crest being almost black. Quills black, tipped with grey on the three outer pairs; tail feathers white, with a broad subterminal band of black on all save the outer pair; breast black; under tail coverts chestnut; rest of under parts white. In summer the chin and throat are black. In the female the crest is rather shorter and the outline of the extended wing is straighter. Length 12·5 in.; wing 8·75 in.
The young bird has buff margins to the feathers of the upper parts.
THE TURNSTONE
Strepsilas interpres (Linnæus)
Breeding in the Far North as well as on some islands in the Baltic, the Turnstone is only a migrant to our shores, spending some weeks with us in autumn and returning again on a flying visit on its way to its breeding-quarters. A small minority spend the whole winter with us, and occasionally birds in full nuptial dress have remained in one locality all through the summer, but its nest has never yet been found in these islands.