9. SPARROWHAWK. _Accipiter nisus_, Linnaeus. French, "L'Epervier,"
"Tiercelet."--The Sparrowhawk, though a resident species and breeding in
the Islands, is by no means so common as the Kestrel. In fact, it must
certainly be considered rather a rare bird, which perhaps is not to be
wondered at, as it is a more tree-breeding bird and less given to
nesting amongst the rocks than the Kestrel. It does so sometimes,
however, as I saw one fly out of some ivy-covered rocks near Petit Bo
Bay the last time I was in the Islands on the 27th of May, 1878. I am
certain this bird had a nest there, though the place was too
inaccessible to be examined closely. The trees, however, at the Vallon
or Woodlands would be much more likely nesting-places, especially as it
might have an opportunity of appropriating a deserted nest of a Magpie
or a Wood Pigeon, rather a favourite nesting-place of the Sparrowhawk.

Professor Ansted includes the Sparrowhawk in his list, but confines it
to Guernsey and Sark; and probably, as a resident and breeding bird, he
is right as far as my district is concerned, but I should think it must
occasionally occur both in Alderney and Herm, though I have never seen a
specimen from either Island, nor have I seen the bird about alive in
either. There is one specimen in the Museum.


10. COMMON BUZZARD. _Buteo vulgaris_, Leach. French, "Buse."--The
Buzzard is a tolerably regular, and by no means uncommon, autumnal
visitant, specimens occurring from some of the Islands almost every
autumn. But it is, I believe, an autumnal visitant only, as I do not
know of a single specimen taken at any other time of year, nor can I
find a record of one. I have seen examples in the flesh from both
Alderney and Herm, in both of which Islands it occurs at least as