Bird-Lore

transcribed at

Bird-Lore  [duchas:4919173]

The most common birds found in our district are the magpies, crows, swallows, sparrows, wrens and blackbirds.  They never change their homes except some rude boy robs them.  The magpies nest on the treetops.  Their nests are made of sticks and they lay five eggs - greenish-white spotted eggs.  The magpie destroys mice for the farmer.  The crows build on the trees with hay and moss and they lay blueish white eggs.  The swallows build under a roof with mud and hay.  Five eggs with brown and white spots are laid.  They fly low when its going to rain.  The sparrows build on the eaves of a house.  They lay four brown eggs. Their nests are made of moss and hay.  The blackbird builds her nest of hay on a bank, and she lays green eggs spotted with brown.  She was once white but she flew into a sack of soot and since then she is black.  Her beak is yellow because she put it into a pot of gold.

The sea gulls come inland which is a sure sign of rain.  It is said that the robin got her redbreast from a drop











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