Midland Birds— It is astonishing how some additional artificial addition,
or subtraction, to a scene may alter the ecology of a district, that is, influence the nature of its inhabitants. The instance in question is a reservoir built for commercial reasons on the edge of the shires of Leicester and Rutland. In the wholly admirable "County Report of Wild Birds" for the two shires (price 35. 6d. from 20, Alveston Road, Leicester) the verdict is given that "it is safe to say the reservoir has completely altered the status of many Leicestershire birds." The list of a hundred and more species seen thereabouts includes surprising rarities, such as the ruff, godwit, of two species, oyster-catcher, greenshank, Kentish-plover, stint and so on ; and there is good reason to believe that the migratory habits of a number of duck, gull, tern and waders are altered by the appearance of these goo acres of water. Remembering a complaint from the Lakes that the commercial use of the water kept altering the level unlovelily, I was particularly interested to read this comment in the report: "When the depth is low, large stretches of mud and lush grass are exposed, thus attracting the many varieties of waders" (my italics). There is no doubt at all that this reservoir, built on behalf of another shire, Northampton, is of general benefit.
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