Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 2. (Budapest 1952)

Horváth, L.: Ornithologic observations in the alder woods of the Hanság

noon of the 15th April ; it was singing in its characteristic yodelling voice, taking intermittent flights from the top of a smaller tree. The Tree-Creeper (Certhia /. familiaris L.) I observed on the western edge of the woods, the 26th February. I met with the White-Collared Flycatcher (Muscicapa a. albicollis Temm) on the southern edge of the woods, the 25th April. It was an old male. On the same day, I disturbed two Short-eared Owls (Asio /. flammeus P о n t о p p.) from the rare, weedy, young section of the southern woods. 1 saw a Red Kite (Milvus rn. milvus L.) soaring above the forest on the 15th April ; and I observed a Black Stork (Ciconia n. nigra L.) on a swampy clearing in the forest, the 11th June. On the neighbouring meadows, that is, the Királyrét, and the fields towards the Miklós-major, I found 11 breeding species. All of them are typical birds of the wet meadows with sparse willow trees. Four of them have already invaded the woods alongside the canals ; though two of them remained in the dense reeds of the shores, and only the other two went really into the forest along the canals. The breeding species are as follows : 1. Black Crow (Corvus corone comix L.J. I found an inhabited nest, the 9th May. 2. Skylark (Alauda a. arvensis L.J. There were always to be seen three or four pairs in the meadows towards the Miklós-major. They must have bred here, though 1 could not find their nests. 3. White Wagtail (Motacilla a. alba L.J. 1 found a clutch of 5 eggs in the dry reeds of ihe wet Királyrét. Otherwise I did not meet with it. 4. Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus a. arundinaceus L.J. 1 found a new, yet empty, nest in the willowy wet part of the Királyrét. The nest was built among the thin tw gs of a very young bush. No more nested in the meadows, but it was very frequent in the dense, reedy margin of the canal. 5. Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris BechstJ. I found it nesting in the same place as the great reed warbler on the Királyrét. The nest was woven onto grasses among dry rare reeds containing one egg. I observed 2 pairs along the canals. 6. Whitethroat (Sylvia n. nisoria Bechst.j. 1 have already expounded on its breeding, among the birds of the forest. 7. Whinchat (Saxicola r. rubetra L.J. I found a pair on the meadows towards the Miklósmajor, the 29th May. The time and their manners presuppose breeding. 8. Hoopoe (Upupa e. epops L.J. I met with a pair on the Királyrét, the 22nd May. Their breeding may be supposed on ground of the holes in the willow trees. 9. White Stork (Ciconia c. ciconiá L.J. One pair arrived very late (25th April); they made their nest on a big poplar beside the Miklós-major. They began breeding on the 21st May. Because of the tree that was hardly to be climbed I could not look into their nest. 10. Common Curlew (Numenius a. arquatus L.J. Two pairs were constantly visible on the Királyrét, from the 25th April on. I was unable to find their nest even after "the most rigorous search ; their breeding is certain. 11. Moorhen (Gatlinula c. chloropus L.J. 1 found a nest in the reedy, swampy part of the Királyrét, the 9th May. There were 7 somewhat incubated eggs in it. Besides the breeding birds I observed only 6 species on the meadows. These are : the Rook (Corvus /. frugilegus L.), and the Magpie (Pica p. pica L.) which I saw only the 26th and 27th February ; then there were 7 Great White Egrets (Egretta a. alba L.) ; 5 Graylags (Anser anser L.) ; some 60—70 Wild Ducks (Anas p. platyrhyncha L.i); and 2 Black-headed Gulls (Larus r. ridibundus L.) in the ponds and shallow waters of the Királyrét. Along the canals running through the Alder Woods, and more especially on the shores of the Kisrába and Rábca canals, 1 found only 4 breeding species. 1. Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus a. arundinaceus L.J. I found 8 inhabited nests, the 22nd May. These in the narrow, reedy margin of the canal, on the external reed stems towards the water or slightly inwards. From the shore they were invisible. In one of them there were 5 eggs, 2 in the other two nests, and one egg in the last. In four of them there were also cuckoo eggs ; the clutches were the followings : 1 + 4, 2 + 2, 1 + 2 (the first numbers indicating the cuckoo eggs). I found again 4 nests on the 28th, with cuckoo eggs in two of trem. The •clutches were : twice q 5 set ; 1+5, and 1 + 3. 2. Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. scirpaceus Her т.). I found a clutch of 3 eggs, the 173