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

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

19. Redbreast. (Erithacus r, rubecula L.) I saw it first the 15th April. I did not find its nest, but a few pairs assuredly breed here. It haunts mostly the southern edges of the woods. 20. Wren. (Troglodytes t. troglodytes L.J I found it first the 14th April. I always observed one or two specimens afterwards. Then, the 25th April, I found a completed nest 3 meters high up among the dense small twigs of an alder tree ; it was empty as yet. Alas, my intervention chased the bird away. 21. Pied Woodpecker. (Dryobates major pinetorum В r e h m

.) I observed two birds in the woods around the forester's house. I met with it every day I was out on the field. I found two inhabited tree-holes, 25th April. One of them was near the southern, the other near the eastern edges of the woods. I was unable to get near their clutches. The number of breeding pairs may be estimated at about 8—10. 22. Long-eared Owl. (Asio o. otus L.J I found it breeding in a black crow's nest built upon a young acacia tree in the western edge of the woods, 16th April. There were four well developed downy nestlings in the nest. I did not find any more of this bird. 23. Tawny Owl. (Strix a. aluco L.) I found two inhabited holes, 14th April. In one of them there were 5 rather incubated eggs, and six in the other one. The holes were in mouldering willow and poplar trees, respectively, 1,5 and 2 meters high. 24. Kestrel. (Falco t. tinnunculus L.J I met with them constantly from the 14th April on. I observed the nesting of two pairs, they were breeding in deserted black crow nests on the western edges of the wood. Because of the excessive height I was unable to look up the clutches. 25. Lesser Spotted Eagle. ( Aquila p. pomarina В r e h т.) I saw a single specimen on the southern edges of the wood, 14th April ; then a pair was soaring over the forest the next day. Later, the 25th, I found a big nest 5 meters high on one of some old willow-trees, standing in a swampy clearing in the depths of the forest. It was as yet empty. After some waiting a small spotted eagle flew low over the tree. Then on the 9th May, there were two eggs in the nest. The eagle flew up from the nest only when I was already 15 meters near to the tree. While I was on the tree it came back frequently, giving voice to a loud, whistling, ungainly khi-khi-khikhi-khi-khi . . . 26. Booted Eagle. (Hieraëtus p. pennatus L.J I found it breeding in the southeastern edges of the wood, 4th June. The nest was 5 meters high on the outernmost alder tree of the main forest. The old age and the' smallness of the nest bore witness that it was once built by a buzzard. There was only one rather incubated egg in the nest, lined and mended by fresh green twigs ; the egg itself was of a pale lemon color with very light, small, dense, greyish-violet dottings, confluent on the blunt top. The bird flew up from the nest when I was still far away, returning only after a long time. I visited the nest 5 times in 3 hours, leaving the egg in it. From my hiding place a few paces away, I could observe it unsuspected. Once it flew to a neighbouring tree, singing in a soft, agreeable voice : pii-pii-pii-pip-pip-pip-pi, letting fall the last syllables more swiftly. Except its humeral patches it was of a uniform dark brown variety. Once the buzzards breeding near took after it with incessant crying ; it flew away mute and swiftly. 27. Buzzard. (Buteo b. buteo L.J This was the most abundant bird in the whole territory. I led a rather exhaustive investigation into every part of the Woods to have possibly exact data on its very abundant breeding. I found 12 inhabited nests ; one in the western edges of the wood ; 3 in the border of the Róka clearing ; 3 deep in the forest ; and 5 in the southern edges of the wood ; and 10 uninhabited nests. I found 3 clutches, 14th April ; a clutch of 3 and two of 4 the 15th ; and further a clutch of 3, the 25th. Of the remaining seven nests I was unable to climb up three of the trees ; and found nestlings in the other ones : 3 youngs in three nests, and 4 in the last. Of the latter nests I found 3 the 25th, and one the 4th June. 28. Goshawk. (Accipiter g. gentilis L.) I chanced upon three inhabited nests ; two 14th April : there were eggs in one of them, the other I could not examine because of the high tree. Then I found again an inhabited nest on the 25th, unable again to climb up to it. The first nest was in the edges of the wood around the Rókató ; the other in the deep forest ; the third in the vicinity of the southern edges of the woods. 29. Black Kite. (Milvus m. migrans В о d â.) I saw it first the 21st May ; from then on I met with it on every excursion. On the 28th I found its nest lined with bits of paper 6 meters high on the outernmost tree of the southern woods : there was one egg in it. On the 4th June, when I expected to find the whole clutch, sombody has already thrown the nest down. 30. Turtledove. (Streptopelia t. turtur L.) I found a clutch of 2 eggs the 21st May. This bird is very rare in the investigated territory : I have not seen it on other days, nor did I find older nests. This nest was on a low hawthorn bush in the southern edge of the wood. 31. Pheasant. (Phasianus c. eolchieus L.J I did not find its nest, only heard its voice in the woods around the forester's house. There must surely be one or two breeding pairs. Besides the 31 breeding species enumerated above, I observed only 6 species in the woods, one at a time. I saw the Woodlark (Lullula a. arborea LJin the after172