One day I watched and listened to a cock in a Highland forest for some time. He sat for a little while on the topmost spray of a tall fir tree uttering his somewhat low but sweet and varied notes, then took an excursion into the air as if he intended to fly away, but changed his mind and his course several times, and on each occasion repeated his melody, and finally came back and alighted on the same twig from which he started.
The call notes are shrill and oft-repeated during flight, sounding something like tit, tit, tit, or tut, tut, tut.
THE SEDGE WARBLER.
The Sedge Warbler, or Sedge bird, as this restless, noisy little creature is frequently called, is by far the most numerous member of its family visiting the British Islands during the summer.
It arrives in April, and takes its departure again for its winter quarters, which extend as far as South Africa, in September, although odd specimens are said to have been seen even in winter.
SEDGE WARBLER’S NEST
WITH CUCKOO’S EGG IN IT.
(inset) SEDGE WARBLER
ON NEST.