At this time the family is always to be found near the nest, and that locality having been to a certain extent untouched, there is presumably abundant food for the young birds without their having to wander far afield. In this manner the summer passes, and as the days draw in and food becomes scarcer, the old birds become weary of their offspring and may frequently be seen fighting and driving them away. The young birds then take the hint, and leave the old folks at home, to wander forth all over the country and earn their living; many come down to the shore and emigrate, while others wander about till they find a suitable hunting ground in which to pass the winter.
With the advent of spring they have in their turn to seek a permanent home; perhaps they will meet with an older bird who has lost his mate during the winter and has a home ready, or perhaps they will inadvertently try to settle near an old eyrie and be driven away, but eventually a place will be found, and the inhabitants of a new district will be delighted, if they have eyes for Nature, by the charming ways and flight of their new visitors.
The adult male on the upper parts is of a deep chestnut, spotted or barred with black; under parts pale buff, striped with black. The head and nape are bluish grey, as is also the tail, which has a broad subterminal black band and is tipped with white. The female is more barred on the back and has the head brown, striped with darker. The tail is rufous, barred with black and slightly tinged with grey. The young resemble the female. Length 14 in.; wing 9·5 in.
THE LESSER KESTREL
Falco cenchris, Naumann
Very few examples of this small Hawk have been taken in this country. It is a summer visitor to Southern Europe, but towards the east it breeds in higher latitudes.
It may be distinguished from the Common Kestrel by its smaller size and white claws. Length 12·26 in.; wing 9·2 in.
THE OSPREY
Pandion haliaëtus (Linnæus)
This species may occasionally be seen on our shallow bays and estuaries or on inland lakes during the autumn migration, but its large size and conspicuous flight soon call forth a gunner and it is either shot or frightened away. It was never common in England, but in the eighteenth century it used to nest in a few localities. Nowadays only one or two eyries are known in the British Isles, and these are situated in remote parts of the Highlands of Scotland and zealously protected. Its food consists entirely of surface-swimming fish, on which it plunges from a considerable height.
The male has the head white, streaked with brown, rest of the upper parts brown; under parts white slightly spotted with brown on the breast. Legs greenish blue.
The female is rather larger and more spotted on the breast. The young have buff margins to the feathers of the back. Length 22 in.; wing 19 in.