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The Ashford Collection in Ludlow Museum Resource Centre
The Ashford Egg Collection numbers nearly 2000 specimens collected during the 19th Century from Britain and abroad. Most are well documented having been recorded in a notebook written by the Ashfords. The following are a selection from this collection.
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Mistle Thrush EggThe Mistle Thrush will nest in a variety of places from trees and bushes to cliffs or on the ground. They build bulky nests of roots, twigs and moss cemented together with mud. They lay up to two clutches of four or five eggs a year. They are usually pale ceamy blue speckled with reddy brown and grey spots and blotches. These eggs are inscribed with the numbers 294. From notes accompanying these eggs we know that they were collected in May 1870 from Hackness in Scarborough. Accession numbers SHRCM Z.03130.001-.003 |
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Crossbill EggThe Crossbill nests high in coniferous trees, usually pines or larches, using soft materials such as wool, hair or moss to build its nest. They lay up to two clutches of eggs a year that contain four or five eggs. The eggs are usually pale cream with red-brown or black markings. Accession number SHRCM. Z.00411 |
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Common Sandpiper EggThe sandpiper nests close to water. Its nest is normally well hidden and is lined with grass or dead leaves. It lays one clutch of eggs a year that normally contains four eggs. These can vary in colour from buff to ceamy pink. They are marked with red, dark brown and grey specks and splodges scattered all over the shell which are normally denser towards the larger end. These eggs are inscribed with the collectors number 252 and 167; from notes accompanying the eggs we know that they were all collected in Iceland inthe 1860's. Accession Numbers SHRCM Z.00471 |
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Little Grebe EggsLittle Grebes build large nests floating on water that are anchored to plants growing there. They are usually built of rotting plants which is hollowed out to hold the eggs. They lay up to two clutches of eggs a year which consist of 4 to 6 eggs. The eggs vary in colour from grey to blue/white and are often heavily stained from the damp rotting nest. These eggs are inscribed with two different collectors numbers which indicate that they were collected from different nests. From notes accompanying the eggs we know that the egg inscribed with 250 was collected in Iceland in the 1860's and that the eg inscribed with 11 was collected in Norfolk in 1867. Accession numbers Z.00482.001-.003 |
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Kentish Plover EggThe Kentish Plover nests in dry sand or among pebbles above the high water mark. They use no nesting material, just a few pebbles or pieces of shell. Only one clutch of eggs is laid a year which usually contains 3 eggs. These are pointed at the narrow end which is placed inwards towards the centre of the nest.. The colour varies from stone to a pink-grey colour with grey and black spots, streaks and scribbles. |
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Herons EggHerons are sociable birds and nest in colonies which are usually found at the tops of tall trees near water. The nests are large and messy and are made of twigs and sticks. They normally only lay one clutch of eggs a year which can contain up to five eggs. The ground colour is a uniform green/blue with no markings. This egg is inscribed with the collectors number 215 and from collectors notes accompanying the egg we know that it was given to John Ashford on 28th April 1869 by T. Bull and was taken from a nest near Brigg. Accession number Z.03007 |
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Peregrine Falcon EggThe Peregrine Falcon is the largest member of the falcon family in the British Isles. It usually only lays one clutch of eggs a year and tends to nest on rocky cliffs. The clutch can contain up to four eggs which are usually a rich orange-red-brown with dark brown specks, blotches and streaks. From information written on the egg and documentation accompanying it, we know that it was taken from a nest on Needles Cliff in April 1870 by J.H. Tuke of Hitchen. It was recieved by Charles Ashford from J.H. Tuke on 2nd May 1870 and was one of a clutch of 3. Accession number Z.03015 |
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Guillemot EggGuillemots live in large colonies on steep cliff faces where they lay their eggs directly on the bare rock. Their eggs are large and pointed and shaped so that they do not roll off their precarious position. A clutch usually contains a single egg which vary considerably in colour and markings. The ground colour can range from white/cream, green/blue to a purple/brown. Markings commonly consist of characteristic scribbles but can also be specks, spots blotches or streaks. From information written on the egg and from documentation accompanying it we know that this egg was taken by Aaron Shepperton on June 14th 1869 from a nest on Buckton Cliffs on the Yorshire Coast. Accession number Z.03101 |
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Yellow Bunting EggThe Yellow Bunting, also known as the Yellow Hammer, nest close to or on the ground. They build bulky, neat nests made of grass, roots and moss. They will often lay up to three clutches of eggs a year that can contain up to five of six eggs. They ars usually a very pale purple white marked with dark lines and scribbles. These eggs bare the collectors number 19 and from notes accompanying the egg we know that they were collected in Suffolk in 1867. Accession number SHRCM Z. 00425 |
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Whimbrel EggWhimbrels nest among grasses or other plants in shallow hollows in the ground lined with just few blades of grass. They lay one clutch of eggs a year that contains up to four eggs. The eggs are very pointed at one end and are pale olive marked with spots and blotches of red-brown and grey. |
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Black-throated Diver EggThe Black-throated Diver nests in a shallow depression in the ground close to water. They only lay one clutch of eggs a year which usually consist of one or two eggs. The eggs are dull brown or olive with black, brown and grey spots and blotches scattered over the shell. From records accompanying the collection we know that this egg was given to John Ashford by his brother Charles on 7th February 1887 and that it came from Lapland. Accession number Z.03037 |
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Stone Curlew EggStone Curlews nest in open countryside such as heaths or commons or on shingle beaches. They nest in hollows in the ground with little linning in the nest. There is normally only one clutch a year which contains up two eggs. The colour varies from stone to buff and are marked with spots, blotches, lines and streaks of grey and brown. Accession number SHRCM Z.00523 |
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Capercaillie EggThe Capercaillie is a large bird that nests on the ground, often in woods amongst the low undergrowth in a shallow depression scaped out of the soil. They lay one clutch of eggs a year which usually consists of 6 to 10 large eggs. The ground colour is usually a cream/yellow with deep sandy markings evenly distributed over the shell. This egg is inscribed with the collectors number 398, Norway. From documentation accompanying the egg we know that John Ashford recieved the egg from T. Jones and that it was taken from a nest somewhere in Norway. Accession number Z.03053.001 |