TO-DAY’S NATURE NOTE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 105, 28 January 1935, Page 8

TO-DAY’S NATURE NOTE

Flyway Robbery Nature lovers have noticed with pleasure that the kingfisher, that charming little river bandit, has inereased greatly of late, and quite often, too. he has invaded the suburbs and towns. Last winter one of these little birds was a regular visitor to our tennis lawn. He was extremely timid and invariably flew off if approached. When undlsturb&l lie would sit motionless, seemingly asleep, on the wirenetting at one side. Then suddenly there would be a fluttering swoop of blue wings and. without alighting, he would pick up a worm which his keen eyes had detected, and then fly up to the opposite netting, where he would devour it Then we noticed an interesting sidelight on his character. He was a robber I Perched as usual on the netting, 4ie would wait patiently while (he blackbirds and thrushes foraged for worms When one of those birds |inlli=» out a worm it almost invariably loaves it on the grass and sits up for an instant before attacking it. Simultaneously with this the kingfisher would swoop, snatch the worm in his bill, and then swallow it. perched on the opposite side. Ho did this repeatedly, ami. aware of his power and sharp bill, his victims never ventured, more than an angry shrill.— M. F. O’Connor (Masterton).