Bird-Lore
25th May 1938
The following are the names of birds that inhabit the townland of Knocksaxon, Barony of Carra, Mayo.
The robin is a brown bird with a red breast. She builds a nest in a sod ditch with moss and feathers. She lays five eggs. They are white with brown spots.
The wren is a small brown bird. She builds a nest of moss in the thatch or in ivy. She lays about nine white eggs. She leaves a hole the size of herself in the side of the nest so that no other bird can get in.
A wagtail builds a nest very far into a stone wall. The nest is built of hay and hair. She always has two ways into her nest. She is slate-colour with a long tail.
A swallow is a blackish bird. She lays eight white eggs in a nest built of gutter and feathers. He flies away in Autumn and comes back in spring. When he flies high it's the sign of good weather but when he flies low it's the sign of rain.
“Joe McIntyre, Knocksaxon, Co. Mayo”
- Thrush
- Blackbird
- Swallow
- Gold finch
- Robin
- Wren
- Sparrow
- Lark
- Tom-tit
- Grey plovers
- Wild duck
- Grouse
- Snipe
- Wag tail
- Lapwing
- Curlew
- Sea gulls
- Yellow hammer
- Magpie
- Crow