Part 2

The line of flight of the _Anatidæ_ is generally from N. to S., as explained further on by Mr. Cordeaux. I may mention here that this holds generally also on the west coast of Scotland, but that the lines of flight of the _Insessores_ are influenced by local causes, and configuration and trend of the west coast. Thus the direction, according to previous experience, is often from N.W. to S.E. When migrating over or near land the lines of flight follow the great valleys and then the coast-lines, often cutting off promontories, as at the Ross of Mull. These are probably birds having a starting-point more to the N.W.,--the Hebrides, Iceland, and North America,--and others which in their migrations from east to west overshoot the land and "hark back"; but we will speak more of this in our remarks under "West Coast." Land birds have passed at all hours of the day and night, flying generally low, and in almost all kinds of weather. The _Anatidæ_, as a rule, fly much higher, and consequently are only seen, or almost only, in clear weather.

Almost all records of birds caught or killed, or striking at the lanterns, are noted on dark or cloudy nights, with fog, haze or rain, or snow and sleet. The isolated stations, such as the Bell Rock, are most deadly; many are stunned and killed, and blown into the sea, at such localities. Birds on such nights often remain around the lights all night or rest on the window-sills of the tower and the balconies, or endeavour to obtain entrance to the tower. Whenever dawn appears they resume their flight towards the nearest land.

A great northward rush appears to have taken place at Bell Rock lighthouse between the 2nd and 11th of March, 1880, as noted in the duplicate schedule by Mr. James Jack, lately received by me. On the 2nd March great numbers of birds were seen flying about the lantern, apparently of various species, of which Blackbirds, Thrushes, and Mavises were recognised; wind S., light breeze, heavy sleet; sexes unidentified; a great number continued to strike hard on lantern all night from 10 p.m., and rebounding off, fell into the sea. On the 9th, great numbers, including Lapwings, Thrushes, Mavises, "Snowflecks," Rooks and "Sea-piets," from 5 a.m. till good daylight, when all disappeared in the fog; observer could not say in which direction they flew; wind S.E., light breeze, fog, and rain. This has been the largest migration seen this year; very large numbers of each species seen. On the 11th March great numbers of Lapwings, Curlews, Blackbirds, and "Sea-piets," from 12 midnight till first streak of day, when all disappeared; cannot say in which direction; wind N.E., light breeze, and haze. A few struck lantern-lights and flew off again; sexes not made out. A perceptible increase in our birds at inland localities took place about this time, and notes on migration taken at various inland localities corroborate the rush at coast stations. Curlews were seen passing inland on March 6th for first time. Great Tits much increased in numbers, as also Chaffinches, Starlings, Thrushes, Blackbirds, &c.

_EAST COAST OF ENGLAND._

Printed forms of enquiry and letters of instruction were sent to thirty-seven lighthouses and lightvessels on the east coast of England. Twenty-five stations have sent in returns, and twelve have failed to do so. The stations from which co-operation was asked are as follows, commencing with the most northerly. Those from which returns have been received are marked with a *.

Berwick. *Longstone, on the most easterly of the Farn Islands; white light, revolving every 30 seconds. *Farn Islands (two lights); white, revolving every 30 seconds. *Coquet Island, coast of Northumberland; two white lights in same tower. Souter Point. *Teesmouth, No. 5 Buoy Lightvessel; one white light, fixed. *Whitby, High Light; while, fixed. Flamborough Head; two white, one red flash, revolving every half minute. Spurn Point. *Spurn, Lightvessel, six miles S.S.E. of Spurn Point; white, revolving every minute. Bull, Lightvessel, mouth of Humber. *Outer Dowsing, Lightvessel, 53 miles E.S.E. Spurn; red light, revolving every 90 seconds. *Inner Dowsing, Lightvessel, 17 miles E. Sutton, on Lincolnshire coast; green, 20 seconds. Dudgeon, Lightvessel, 35 m. E. Skegness, Lincolnshire coast; white, fixed. *Leman and Ower, Lightvessel, 48 miles E.N.E. of Cromer; two white lights, one fixed, one revolving. *Hunstanton, Lighthouse, white, fixed. *Cromer, Lighthouse; white, revolving every minute. Hasborough, Lighthouse; white, fixed. Winterton, Lighthouse; white, fixed. *Newarp, Lightvessel, 12 miles N.E. Winterton; white, three quick flashes, and 36 seconds in a minute dark. *Cockle, Lightvessel, 3 miles E. Yarmouth; white, revolving each minute. *Lowestoft, Lighthouse; white, revolving 30 seconds, and red fight, fixed. *Corton, Lightvessel, 4 miles E. Lowestoft; red, revolving 20 seconds. *Orfordness, Lighthouse; white, fixed. *Shipwash, Lightvessel, 8 miles S.S.E. of Orfordness; white, fixed. Languard Point, Lighthouse, entrance to Harwich River. Cork, Lightvessel, 5 miles off mouth of Harwich River. *Galloper, Lightvessel, 40 miles S.S.E. of Orfordness; two white, horizontal, fixed. *Kentish Knock, Lightvessel, 33 miles N.E. of North Foreland; white, revolving each minute. *Nore, Lightvessel, mouth of Thames; white, revolving 30 seconds. *North Foreland, Lighthouse; white, fixed. *Goodwin, Lightvessel, Goodwin Sands; white, revolving, three quick flashes in succession, 36 seconds darkness. *Gull-stream, Lightvessel, Goodwin Sands; white, revolving 20 seconds. *East-side, Lightvessel, Goodwin Sands, 13 miles E. of Deal; green, revolving 15 seconds. *South-sand Head, Lightvessel, Goodwin Sands; white, fixed. South Foreland, Lighthouse; white, fixed. Dungeness Point; white, fixed.

Great credit is due to the observers of the various stations for the careful manner in which, as a rule, the returns have been made out. Taking them altogether the reports show truthful, accurate, and painstaking observation. Excluding the _Anatidæ_, Swans, Geese and Ducks, notes have been taken of about thirty-two different species.

SEPARATE REPORT OF EACH SPECIES OBSERVED.

Of _Raptores_ two only are mentioned, the Sparrowhawk and the Short-eared Owl. Of the former one visited the Inner Dowsing on Oct. 1st, at 8 p.m. At the Gull-stream on Sept. 19th one alighted on deck and was caught. At the South-sand Head on Sept. 23rd a very large Sparrowhawk stopped to rest on the rail, going W. At the same station on Oct. 2nd another settled on the lantern, also leaving for the west. These may have been hawks in passage, or pirates beating in the track of small migrants. The Short-eared Owl occurs only at Teesmouth; on Sept. 29th one passed at daybreak, one on Oct. 1st at 7 a.m., and another on the 16th at 3 p.m.

I saw the first Short-eared Owl on the Lincolnshire coast on Oct. 30th. Twelve were seen at Spurn the same morning. It thus appears that the migration of this species has extended just over a month, from Sept. 29th to Oct. 30th.

Flycatcher, _Muscicapa grisola_.--At the Galloper on Sept. 13th, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., hazy, 200 to 300 birds, mostly Flycatchers; twenty killed against glass of lantern. At the Kentish Knock on Sept. 18th two dozen Flycatchers through night around lantern, rain, going S.W. at daylight; none killed. At the Nore, Aug. 22nd, at sunrise, mixed with Larks, and again on Sept. 7th, same hour, without Larks. At the Gull-stream, on Sept. 17th, at 3.20 a.m., E., thick rain, large quantities of Flycatchers; lantern surrounded by birds. On Oct. 11th-12th, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., N.N.E., rain, large numbers of Larks, Starlings and Flycatchers in vicinity of light; many struck and went overboard. Time of migration extending over fifty-two days.[4]

[Footnote 4: I find the following reference to this species in my note-book:--"Did not observe any Flycatchers, old or young, in this neighbourhood after the end of August: up to this time they were exceptionally numerous."--_J. C._]

Song Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Blackbird, and Ring Ouzel.--With the exception of the last, which is reported from Heligoland, the _Turdidæ_ are noticed at fourteen stations extending over the whole coast-line. At the Longstone, on Sept. 11th, four Redwings killed at 3 a.m., gloomy and thick; on Oct. 30th and 31st Thrushes, Blackbirds and Redwings passed, wind E. and N. At the Farn Islands, Oct. 14th, Redwings, 9 a.m.; 15th, Thrushes and Blackbirds, N.N.E. half a gale; 22nd, several Blackbirds; 30th, same, and flocks of Redwings all day, E.; Nov. 20th, Fieldfares all day, E. strong; 22nd, same; Dec. 5th, 3 p.m., snow. Blackbirds and Thrushes. At Teesmouth on Dec. 1st, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., snow. Redwings, Thrushes and Fieldfares, going from N. to S.W.; Dec. 2nd, a few Redwings. At Teesmouth lighthouse on Oct. 1st, at daylight, forty to fifty Thrushes, and twenty to thirty at 9 a.m. on the 7th; on Dec. 4th, at 6 a.m., one Blackbird struck the glass and was killed. At Spurn on Dec. 2nd, 9 a.m., large numbers of Thrushes. At the Outer Dowsing, Sept. 24th, four Blackbirds; on the 29th, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., six Thrushes. At the Leman and Ower on Dec. 16th, Thrushes in company with Larks and Starlings all through the night. At Cromer on Oct. 24th three Thrushes struck the lantern during the night; on the 30th four, and on Nov. 16th five others. At the Newarp, Nov. 28th, 9 a.m., six Blackbirds passed. At the Kentish Knock, Nov. 18th, one Thrush killed. At the Nore, Nov. 7th, four Blackbirds, going W.S.W.; Nov. 3rd, Fieldfares. At the North Foreland, Nov. 21st, 1 a.m., E.S.E., snow, one Blackbird killed. At the Gull-stream, Nov. 21st, cloudy and showers of snow, Starlings, Blackbirds, and Thrushes in the vicinity of light from 1 to 4 a.m.; six Starlings, four Thrushes, and one Blackbird killed. At the South-sand Head, Oct. 12th, dense fog, many Thrushes; several killed. General line of migration, with few exceptions, E. to W., carried on both by day and night; a considerable proportion, however, appear to arrive from daybreak to 10 a.m. Migration of Thrush extending over seventy-seven days, from Oct. 1st at Teesmouth to Dec. 16th at the Leman and Ower; of Redwing, sixty-five days, from Sept. 11th at the Longstone to Dec. 2nd at Teesmouth; of Fieldfare, twenty-eight days, from Nov. 3rd at the Nore to Dec. 1st at Teesmouth;[5] of Blackbird, seventy-two days, from Sept. 24th at the Outer Dowsing to Dec. 5th at Farn Islands.[6] On Oct. 29th, S.E. and E., _Tardus iliacus_ crossed Heligoland in large numbers, "thousands and thousands" passing on overhead; the same day, _T. torquatus_, "a few"; _T. merula_ and _T. musicus_, "limited numbers"; "_T. iliacus_ descending from invisible heights down to about one hundred feet above island,--three hundred feet above the sea,--then all of them passing on; when atmosphere got clear again, in afternoon, passage ceased." Again on the night of the 30th, N.N.E., "enormous number of _Turdidæ_ passing overhead."

[Footnote 5: Mr. W. Eagle Clarke reports that on the 24th of January last large numbers of Fieldfares were seen between Easington and Kilnsea, near Spurn Point, and as they were the first seen in the neighbourhood this season they were no doubt immigrants, more particularly as the locality in which they were seen is one where they are only observed during or immediately after arrival. Large flocks appeared also in North-East Lincolnshire during the last fortnight in January, so far as my own observations go, composed entirely of old birds. Mr. Gätke also writes, "All January through, night from 10th to 11th, great many from the east; 21st to 24th, the same."--_J. C._]

[Footnote 6: Numbers of fine old cock Blackbirds arrived at Spurn during the latter part of January, and early in February at the same time with the Fieldfares.--_J. C._]

Redbreast, Whitethroat, Wren.--The same notes in the reports applying generally to the three species, it is not necessary to treat them separately. At Coquet Island, on Sept. 13th, 11 p.m., two Redbreasts struck glass, not killed. At Hunstanton, on Oct. 13th, 1 p.m., fog, a Wren and Redbreast seen. At Cromer, May 23rd, 1 a.m., a great many Wrens; two killed, also one Redbreast; May 27th, 11 p.m., Wrens and Whitethroats, five killed (these last notes are referable to the spring migration); Sept. 12th, Wrens and three Redbreasts strike glass. At Spurn this autumn the Common Wren did not appear before the middle of December; they usually arrive about the end of October.[7] Redbreasts were very numerous at Spurn on Oct. 30th, wind blowing very fresh from N.E. None reported from Heligoland, but a great many Accentor modularis on Oct. 29th, wind S.E. and E.

[Footnote 7: A friend, the owner of several steam-tugs, informs me that he has frequently known the Common Wren to come on board his vessels when far from land on the North Sea.--_J. C._]

Golden-crested Wren.--Most exceptionally scarce; only one mentioned, at the Cockle, on Oct. 16th, at 3 p.m., wind N.N.E., when one came on board and was caught. Three were seen in a garden near Spurn on Oct. 27th and 28th; none, so far as I am aware, on any part of the Lincolnshire and Durham coasts, neither are they mentioned in the Heligoland report.

Titmice.--At the Gull-stream, Sept. 17th, 3.20 a.m., thick, rain, E., several Titmice seen round lantern amongst the Flycatchers. Mr. Gätke remarks, "There have been no Parus major all this autumn, and we have actually seen only one bird"; early in October, "daily some _Parus ater_, that come here rarely but when there is an appearance of easterly winds."

Wheatear.--At Hunstanton, May 24th, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., drizzly rain, forty-one small birds killed, amongst them three Wheatears. At Cromer, Aug. 16th, 1 a.m., several Wheatears; four killed.

Titlark, _Anthus sp.?_--At Spurn, May 25th, 1 a.m., rain, several Titlarks killed (referable to the spring migration), At the South-sand Head, Oct. 12th, 3 a.m., N.E., dense fog, Titlarks, amongst thousands of other birds, around and passing lantern.

Shore Lark, _Otocorys alpestris_.--On Dec. 19th two were shot, from a small flock on the Humber side of Spurn Point; these were received in the flesh on the 22nd by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, of Leeds.[8] At Heligoland, on Oct. 1st, "some flights"; 5th, "some score"; 8th, "a great many"; 10th, "many flights"; on the 24th likewise, and again on the 29th, "many."

[Footnote 8: Mr. Clarke subsequently informed me that on March 18th, this year, he saw a flock of about twenty Shore Larks at Spurn, and that during the past winter thirty-three have been shot there, in the proportion of two males to one female.--_J. C._]

Sky Lark, _Alauda arvensis_.--None reported north of the Humber, and a negative return from Heligoland. South of the Humber, from every station making returns, and showing a gradual increase towards the more southern stations, where they crossed in immense numbers. Earliest date of passage, July 24th, at the Goodwin, 10 a.m., ninety to a hundred flying N.W. to the nearest land, and again at the same station on Aug. 4th. After this no further notice till Sept. 17th, when the regular and normal migration of this species appears to have set in and continued without intermission till Dec. 27th. Leaving out the two earliest dates as exceptional, we shall find that the immigration of the Larks to our east coast was continued over 102 days. During October, November and December (first fortnight) they crossed continually, passing from E. to W., also from points S. of E. to others N. of W., over the narrowest part of the North Sea, as is shown in the returns of the most southern lightships--Galloper, Kentish Knock, Nore, North Foreland, Goodwin, Gull-stream, East Side, and South-sand Head; time, any hour of the day or night; direction of wind, variable. It would be quite impossible in a limited space to give anything like a detailed statement of the immigration of Larks, so a few extracts from my summary of the reports must suffice. There was a "great rush" of Larks and other species between Oct. 12th and 23rd. On the 16th October more birds appear to have crossed than on any day during the autumn. There was again a "final rush" of the laggards just preceding and during the outbreak of severe weather early in December. At the Newarp, Sept. 29th to Oct. 27th, on fourteen days, going W., no particular hour, some striking lantern at night. At the Cockle, Sept. 28th to Oct. 17th, as a rule, very early in the morning (4.30 to 9.20 a.m.), on foggy, thick nights stopping to hover round lantern, some strike and are killed; Oct. 9th to 16th, "great rush." At the Corton, Oct. 22nd and 23rd, flocks passing all day to N.W.; Nov. 11th, many hundreds during day; and again on Dec. 25th, all day from N.E. to S.W., Ducks and Larks; Dec. 27th, hundreds of Larks during afternoon. At the Shipwash, from Oct. 9th to 16th; all day on 15th and 16th. At the Galloper,[9] from Oct. 8th to 24th, Larks, Starlings and Chaffinches, generally during night; between these dates 135 of these species killed against lantern. At the Kentish Knock, Oct. 23rd, N.W., hazy, Larks and Chaffinches through night, "in clouds," sixty picked up on deck, and probably double this number falling overboard; Dec. 1st, from noon to 2.30 p.m., thick snow falling, Larks, Curlews, Starlings, Ducks, Chaffinches and Linnets, too numerous to mention; they came in clouds from N.E. to W.S.W. At the Nore, Aug. 4th to Dec. 6th and 7th, on forty-four days; on Dec. 6th and 7th, by hundreds all day, often mixed with Starlings, Linnets and Sparrows. At the North Foreland, on Sept. 17th, a few; Oct. 16th, midnight, misty, fourteen Larks and ten Starlings; 17th, between 3 and 4 a.m., ten Larks and nine Starlings struck. At the Goodwin, Sept. 17th to Dec. 7th, on nineteen days, going W. or N.W. or W.N.W.; Oct. 13th and 15th, in shoals throughout night; 13th to 22nd, "great rush." At the Gull-stream, Oct. 16th to 22nd, "great rush," flocks two hundred yards apart, passing westward. At the East-side, Oct. 9th to Dec. 12th, on seven days, E. to W.; on Sept. 23rd, going N. to S., with a N.E. wind blowing. At the South-sand Head, Oct. 12th, 3 a.m., dense fog, "great rush," thousands of Larks and other birds, many killed; Dec. 1st, 3 p.m., dense fog and snow, "final rush," Larks, Starlings, and fifty Curlews; twelve Starlings caught on board, but no Larks. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., writing from Lowestoft, says, "On Wednesday (Oct. 22nd), the arrival of Larks here was regular throughout the day." On Oct. 29th, at Spurn Point, Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, of Leeds, says, "Sky Larks arriving and passing south in thousands the whole day." Immense numbers also arrived on the Lincolnshire coast in the last fortnight of October. (At Heligoland, Oct. 29th, S.E., and E., "_Alauda arboreus_, many.")

[Footnote 9: Birds passing this station were all passing to E. or E.S.E. or S.E. in October. On Nov. 24th great numbers of Larks and Starlings were observed passing to N.N.E. See general remarks at end of report.--_J. C._]

Snow Bunting, _Plectrophanes nivalis_.--None at stations south of the Humber. At the Longstone, Sept. 5th, 8.30 a.m., wind S., one was seen on the rocks; my correspondent remarks, "Earliest date I have ever seen a Snow Bunting on these islands (Farn Isles)." At the Farn Islands, Oct. 3rd, 11.30 a.m., three Snow Buntings flying N.W.; Oct. 25th, afternoon, in flocks flying W. At Teesmouth, Nov. 7th to Dec. 20th, several flocks between these dates flying N.W. At Spurn, Snow Buntings were first seen on the 28th. October; and large flocks of from 400 to 500 in the Lincolnshire marshes during the first week in November. At Heligoland on Oct. 30th, N.N.E., "_Emberiza nivalis_, a great many," and on the 31st, S.E., calm, overcast, "Snow Buntings and Finches." Leaving out the Farn Island date as exceptional,[10] we find the regular migration of this species to have commenced on Oct. 25th and finished Dec. 20th--fifty-seven days.

[Footnote 10: In a note to Yarrell's 'British Birds' (vol. ii., p. 6, 4th ed.), Prof. Newton cites, on my authority, the occurrence of a Snow Bunting on the Lincolnshire coast on Sept. 16th, 1875, as perhaps the earliest date for England. The Farn Island bird must now take precedence by eleven days.--_J. C._]

Chaffinch, _Fringilla cœlebs_.--Has occurred at several stations, and both north and south of the Humber. At the Longstone, Sept. 28th and Oct. 1st, 6 a.m. till noon, S. strong, rain and mist, flocks of Finches and other birds going W. At the Outer Dowsing, Oct. 18th, at noon, going E. to W.; Oct. 24th, 7 p.m., overcast, rain, thirty round lantern, two killed. At the Leman and Owers, Oct. 7th, N.N.E., gloomy, mixed flocks of Larks, Chaffinches and Starlings during day and night. At the Newarp, Sept. 26th to Oct. 23rd, on several days. At the Cockle, odd birds, on three days, strike lantern or come on board. At the Kentish Knock, Oct. 23rd and Dec. 1st (see Sky Lark). At the Goodwin, Sept. 17th, 9 to 11 p.m., overcast, hazy, flying round lantern. Migration extending from Sept. 17th to Dec. 1st--seventy-six days.

Linnet, _Linota cannabina_.--None registered north of the Shipwash, off the Essex coast, where from Oct. 9th to 16th flocks passed daily, all hours, going E. to W. At the Nore, Oct. 14th to Nov. 12th, invariably mixed with Larks. At the Gull-stream, Oct. 15th to 22nd, many flocks.

Twite, _Linota flavirostris_.--One station only, the Kentish Knock, Oct. 24th, misty with rain, "Mountain Linnets," Larks and Starlings through the night; sixty picked up on deck, as many more went overboard. Nov. 8th, one caught on deck.

Tree Sparrow, _Passer montanus_.--Flocks of Sparrows[11] were noticed at several stations south of the Humber. At the Outer Dowsing, on Sept. 29th, at noon, and Oct. 13th, 2 p.m., travelling from E. to W. At the Kentish Knock, Oct. 22nd to Nov. 8th, going from S.E. to N.W.; on Nov. 8th two came on board. At the Nore, Oct. 27th and Nov. 15th, on latter day mixed with Larks. At the Goodwin, Oct. 6th and 22nd, passing to W.N.W. At the Gull-stream, Oct 16th, large numbers of Sparrows and Linnets going W.; also on the 24th, 3.30 p.m., flocks 200 yards apart. At the East-side, Nov. 8th, 9 a.m., a flock going E. to W. At the South-sand Head, Oct. 8th, "French Sparrows"; 16th, the same, some settled on board. Time of migration Sept. 29th to Nov. 15th--forty-eight days. During September and October Tree Sparrows usually arrive in North-East Lincolnshire in flocks containing many hundreds. This year has been quite an exceptional one, and only a few stragglers have been seen. I suspect the persistence of north-westerly winds in the autumn has driven these and the great body of our immigrants much further southward than is usual. The returns indeed show this to be the case.

[Footnote 11: It is not improbable that in some of the returns the entries may refer to the Common Sparrow. We know, however, that Passer montanus is such a constant and regular migrant to our east coast in the autumn that in the majority of cases it will refer to this species.--_J. C._]

House Sparrow, _Passer domesticus_.--Only once mentioned, at the Corton, Sept. 28th, 7.50 a.m., large flock going west, males and females. As the female of the preceding is undistinguishable from the male, this entry undoubtedly refers to the Common Sparrow. We know that the House Sparrow is a migrant across Heligoland,[12] and my own observations on the Lincolnshire coast tend to the same conclusion.

[Footnote 12: See a letter by Mr. Gätke in 'The Times,' March 31st, 1877, on the "Migration of Sparrows."]