Part 6

From Malmo, Sweden.--Mr Frank E. Newton sends a cutting from a Gotland newspaper, of which the following is a translation:--"A curious circumstance happened at the F[)a]rö Lighthouse on the 20th October. About 8.30 in the evening a sharp report was heard by the man on watch. He immediately went up to the lantern to ascertain the cause, when he found two of the panes of glass broken into small pieces, as well as three "Alfoglar" (Long-Tailed Ducks, _Harelda glacialis_) lying dead inside. There were also three lamp glasses broken, and a third pane of glass cracked in many places. On the ground below lay nine more birds of the same sort. The Ducks had come from a northerly direction. The flight must have been at a remarkable speed, as the quarter-inch thick glass was smashed into many small pieces."

Schedules have been sent in since the writing of the report from Inner Farn L.H.--Mr Thomas H. Cutting--ranging from February 11th to March 30th, 1886, and recording a large migration of Skylarks during the forenoon on February 19th to the W.; also the movements of Blackbirds, Thrushes, Common Wrens, Lapwing, Snipe, Starlings, Golden Plover, Daws, and "Black Crows." A pair of Wheatears on February 22d, at 5 P.M., and again a pair on March 25th. A small flock of Snow-Bunting on March 13th, and three Fieldfare on the .30th.

Galloper L.V.--Mr P. Frost:--From January 21st to April 12th, 1886, is specially interesting as recording the enormous migration of Larks and Starlings, and in less numbers of Chaffinches, Sparrows, Linnets, and Plover. On the nights of January 21st to 23d, two hundred and twenty-six were killed. Unfortunately Mr Frost fails to state the directions of flights, but, judging from the entries in the schedules sent in by other light-vessels on the south-east coast, they refer to birds on passage both to the Continent and our own shores.

Newarp L.V.--Messrs C. Campbell and W. Rees:--From October 21st to March 21st, 1886, up to February 14th. Crows, Starlings, Larks, Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Thrushes, Fieldfares, Bramblings, and Linnets in greater or less numbers to the W., ceasing on December 11th, and again recommencing on January 23d to February 14th, and then from March 5th to 21st, Starlings, Larks, and Crows passing to the E.

Swin Middle L.V.--Messrs Pender and J. Barrett:--From January 21st to April 3d, 1886; between January 21st to February 15th. Immense flights of Larks, generally during the night, and large numbers killed; also Starlings, Sparrows, and some Chaffinches. On January 24th, five flocks of small birds travelling from N.W. to S.E. On the night of February 14th to 15th, Larks still in great numbers, ninety on deck, and a great many falling into the water, "for two hours the Larks were like a shower of snow." March 28th and 29th, and April 1st, 2d, 3d, Chaffinches at intervals during the morning three or four together, all were male birds, only one female seen. "Ducks" (probably Scoters) "can be seen from this vessel eight or nine months in the year, but on February 10th, 11th, 12th, we had calms and fogs, and the Ducks sat on the water, covering about a mile, the water being black with them."

Lord Clifton writes:--"About twenty Swallows were picked up dead after the northerly gales and rain of October 13th and 14th. Seven were found huddled together alive in a duck's nesting-box in a stable, and one was found dead in a slipper in a bedroom, so desperate were the efforts of the poor birds to find warmth and shelter. House Martins were similarly overtaken." "Golden Oriole."--"On June 9th a bricklayer thought he saw one, and on the 23d a woodcutter said he both saw one and heard it whistle; our people about here are familiar with the general appearance of the bird from its having bred in this park in 1874 and 1875."

General Remarks.

A special point of interest in the report for the East Coast of England was the large arrival of Pied Flycatchers at Spurn and Flamborough in the first week in May 1885, with a north-east wind. This immigration extended northward as far as the Pentland Skerries (see Report from the East Coast of Scotland). At Flamborough the Flycatchers were accompanied by male Redstarts.

There was an enormous arrival of Redwings, commencing at the Farn Islands on September 15th, and continued throughout October and November to the first week in December, and covering the whole east coast of England. There was also an immense immigration of Fieldfares, which was specially observed at the Longstone L.H. from November 8th to 11 P.M. on the 12th.

Scarcely second to these in importance was the immense flight of Bramblings, the bulk of which arrived in two great rushes between October 14th and 17th and on November 11th and 12th; this species being reported as more plentiful in the eastern counties than ever previously recorded.

The main body of Woodcocks arrived in two great rushes, the "first flight" on the night of October 16th to 17th, covering the east coast from the Farn Islands to Thanet, and the "great flight" on October 22d to 23d and 23d to 24th between the same islands and Yarmouth. After this. Woodcocks kept dropping in at intervals up to the end of January 1886.

It has been remarked in previous reports that the migration of a species extends over many weeks, and in some cases is extended for months. Yet it is observable that, at least on the east coast of England, year by year, the bulk or main body of the birds which strike the coast come in two enormous and almost continuous rushes during the second and third weeks in October and the corresponding weeks in November. Continued observation also proves that the earlier arrivals, as a rule, refer to the young of the year, and the later to old birds, but with many exceptions.

Birds also continue persistently, year by year, to follow the same lines of flight both in the spring and autumn, and at least nine-tenths of the arrivals at the latter season come directly from the east or from points south of east, moving to the west and north-west. In the spring, when leaving the east coast, they travel in the reverse direction, but still following the old lines. The occurrences of migrants coming from points north of east is quite exceptional.

The fact of a double migration or passage of birds of the same species across the North Sea in the spring and autumn, both to the E. and S.E. and W. and N.W., is very clearly established (see General Remarks, 1884 Report, East Coast of England, pp. 69 and 70). This phenomenon is regularly recorded on the whole of the east coast, but specially observable at those light-vessels which are stationed in the south-east district included in this report; at the same time, it is invariably persistent and regular year by year.

An examination of the reports, seven in number, already issued by the Committee, will show the extreme regularity and precision in time during which the migration of each species is carried on. This applies both to the vernal and autumnal passage; in the vast majority of cases the commencement of the migration occurring on the same day, or within a few days, of a fixed period, so that it would not be difficult to tabulate in advance with almost certainty the normal movement or migration of each species.

The arrivals of rare and occasional visitants have been unusually few; perhaps those of chief interest are the occurrences of the Arctic Bluethroat and Desert Chat at Spurn, the Black-Bellied Dipper in Lincolnshire, the Woodchat Shrike, Serin Finch, and Spoonbill in Norfolk, and the Spotted Eagle in Northumberland.

In the spring the earliest occurrence of our summer visitants is as frequently recorded at the northern as at the southern stations; instance the arrival in 1885 of the Swallow at Spurn on April 8th; the Swift, several, on April 20th; and the Cuckoo at Whitby on April 8th; and in 1886 the arrival of Wheatears at the Farn Islands on February 2 2d. The line of migration of the latter, as yearly observed at the Tees L.V., is from S.E. to N.W.

_Addenda to "General Notes," East Coast of England._

Leman and Ower L.V.--Mr T. Artis:--March 19th to 28th, 1886. On March 19th and 25th "Black Crows" N.W. to S.E.; and between March 19th to 28th, Skylarks, Starlings, Chaffinches, and others to W. March 28th, at 9 P.M., S.S.E., fog. One Fieldfare, three Starlings, three Chaffinches, one Woodcock, and three Bramblings killed. Mr Artis also remarks, under date of April 13th, 1886, 5 P.M. and 7 P.M.:--"I have to inform you that this afternoon, being a calm at the time, I saw close to my vessel, about three ship's length off, a very large creature which I believe was some sort of a whale. I never saw such a fish near the Leman and Ower banks (18 fathoms) before. It appeared to be larger than the ship, and came from the N.W., going S.E., and at 7 P.M. he was surrounded by spring herrings--some thousands--leaping out of the water from three to four feet. It was a beautiful sight."

There is a very interesting schedule, which is carried forward to the next report (1886), from the Longstone L.H., Mr Thomas O. Hall. A Woodcock was flushed on the 3d of April on the rock, which flew E. On April 7th, at 9.30 A.M., two flocks of Hooded Crows passed to mainland, wind W., strong; and on the 13th a small flock of Books passed to mainland at 7.30 A.M., wind S.E. and E. There was a great flight of Fieldfares, Redstarts, and Wheatears, and other kinds, round the lantern between 12 and 1 A.M. on the 28th April. As soon as the wind shifted to the N.E. all the birds left.

HELIGOLAND.

_Ornithological Almanac for 1885._[11]

[Footnote 11: Contributed by Mr Gätke.]

=January.=

1st and 2d.--

3d.--_Fringilla chloris_, very many. _Alauda arvensis_ and _Turdus pilaris_, numerous.

4th to 8th.--Guillemots on hatching ridges in rocks by thousands.

9th and 10th.--

11th, evening, N.E.--Extensive migration during the night: _Numenius_, _Char. auratus_, _Tringa_.

12th, N.E., light wind, 1 deg. frost, a little snow.--_Fring. chloris_, very many; _cannabina_ and _montium_, fewer; _Turdus pilaris_, _iliacus_, _merula_, and _viscivorus_, numerous, the latter individually. _Anth. pratensis_, pretty many; _Num. arquata_ and _Char. auratus_, all numerous, migrating overhead.

13th, S.E., fine.--_Fring. chloris_, again very many, twenty at one shot; _cannabina_ and _montium_, also very many; _Turdus pilaris_ and _Alauda arvensis_, also very many; _Sturnus_, fifty to sixty.

14th, N.E., heavy, thick, overcast.--Nothing.

Up to 27th, frost 3-5 deg., fine weather.--During the whole time only stray birds: _Sturnus merula_, _Al. arvensis_, _Emb. miliaria_.

28th, 29th, 30th, S.W., overcast, mild.--_Fr. chloris_, very many. _Merula_, _pilaris_, _Sturnus_, _Al. arvensis_, many passing on.

=February.=

1st and 2d.--Nothing.

3d.--_Al. arvensis_, extraordinary many. _Fr. chloris_ and _cannabina_, also many. _T. merula_, _musicus_, _iliacus_, also pretty many. _Char. auratus_, _Num. arquata_, many passing on.

4th, southerly.--All the above, but considerably fewer. _Corv. frugilegus_, a swarm of at least one hundred.

Till 9th westerly wind, often fog.--Nothing. 9th, Guillemots in rocks.

10th, 11th, 12th, S.E. and S.--Nothing. Stray _merula_. Many _Fr. chloris_.

13th to 17th, S.W., fog.--_Turd. viscivorus_, ten or twelve on 17th. _C. frugilegus_, a great flight.

Up to 23d.--Nothing passing.

24th, S.S.W., still, fine weather.--_Mot. lugubris_, one [male]. _Sax. rubicola_, several [male]. _Anth. rupestris_ and _pratensis_. _Alauda arvensis_, few. _Arborea_, a couple.

25th, S.W., clear, fine; in evening south.--_Corvus monedula_, a tolerably great flight. _Turd. merula_ and _iliacus_, pretty many. _Viscivorus_, ten to fifteen. _Sax. rubicola_, [male]. _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, pretty many. _Al. arvensis_, a great many. _Arborea_, a few. _Fring. chloris_ and _cannabina_, numerous. _Scol. rusticula_, one.

26th, S.W., early fog; P.M. clear, fine.--_Corv. frugilegus_, ten thousands. _Cornix_, few. _Sturnus_, many. _Merula_, few. _Alauda_ passing on overhead. _S. rubicola_, several _Fr. chloris_, _cannabina_, _cœlebs_, many, particularly the first. _F. domesticus_, a great flight passing high overhead eastward. _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, many. _Mot. lugubris_, a fine [male]. _Char. auratus_, _vanellus_, and _hiaticula_. _Fr. alpina_ and. _Num. arquata_ all migrating in great numbers.

27th, S., S.S.E. forenoon, fog; P.M. clear, fine.--All the above, but less in number. _Mot. lugubris_, fine [male].

28th, S.W., still, dense fog.--_Corv. frugilegus_, flights overhead passing. _Sax. rubicola_, two in the garden. _Mot. lugubris_, fine old [male]. _Emb. schœniclus_, a few. _Anser cinereus_, seventeen passing low overhead.

=March.=

1st, early, 8 to 9, fog, still; later, N., light, clear; P.M., N.W., fresh.--_Merula_, early a couple hundreds.

2d.--_F. peregrinus_, one old bird. _Accentor_, several in the garden.

3d, S.S.W. to S.E.--_F. tinnunculus_. _Corv. frugilegus_, many. _Cornix_, few. _Alauda arvensis_, _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, few. _Fr. cannabina_, many. _Chloris_, fewer. _Char. vanellus_, ten to fifteen. _Auratus_, a couple.

4th.--Almost nothing: A few _Al. arvensis_ and _alpestris_. _Emb. schœniclus_ and _nivalis_.

5th, N.W., light, overcast.--_F. æsalon_, one old 6. _Corv. frugilegus_ and _Sturnus_, not many. _Merula_, several. _Al. arvensis_, very many, numerous flights overload passing. _Mot. lugubris_, a few females and young male. _Emb. schœniclus_, several. _Char. vanellus_, thousands. _Auratus_, hundreds. _Hiaticula_, twenty to fifty. _Num. arquata_ and _Fring. alpina_, many. _Scol. rusticula_, one.

6th, N.E., fresh, little wet snow.--_Milvus_, one. _Sturnus_, _merula_, and _scolopax_, several. _Al. arvensis_, several large flights. _Ans. albifrons_, one, one year old.

7th, N.W. to W., clear, cold 1 deg.--_F. æsalon_, one [male]. _Sturnus_ and _Alauda_, stray birds. _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, somewhat more.

8th, W., S.W.; in evening fog.--Nothing. A few _Mot. lugubris_. Few _Sturnus_. One Woodcock.

9th, N.N.W., windy, cold, now and then fine snow, and clear.--_Corv. cornix_, little flights. _Mot. lugubris_, a couple. Two Woodcocks.

10th, N.W., fresh, loose scattered clouds, cold.--Nothing.

11th, N.N.W., fresh; P.M., N.E., clear, cold.--_Merula_ and _Sturnus_, a few.

12th, W.N.W., slight wind, thick, almost fog.--_Merula_, _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, a few.

13th, N.W., fresh, misty.--Almost not a bird. A few miserable Pewits.

14th, N.N.W. to N., fresh, cold.--Nothing. A few _Mot. alba_.

15th, N.N.W., windy, cold, overcast; in evening fog till 1.30 A.M.--_T. merula_, tolerable, ten caught in bush, 8 old [male], 2 [female]. _Sturnus_, flights. _Mot. alba_, singly. _Vanellus_, early, some flights. Four to five Woodcocks. Several Snipes and Plover.

16th, W., violent, cold, overcast; in evening clear.--_Corv. cornix_, six to ten. _Sturnus_, till nine in morning; flights of hundreds and thousands. _Merula_, a few hundred. _Iliacus_, fewer. _Mot. alba_, few. _Anth. rupestris_, some. _Pratensis_, none. _Al. arvensis_, many. _Fr. cœlebs_ and _cannabina_, few. _Char. vanellus_ and _auratus_ passing on overhead. Woodcocks, three shot. _Tr. alpina_, early, great flights.

From two o'clock till daylight at Lighthouse.--_Sturnus vulgaris_, extraordinary many, 300 to 400 being caught. _Merula_, very many, _Alauda_, _Char. vanellus_ and _auratus_, also very many. Also ducks.

17th, W., fresh, overcast, cold; P.M. wind heavy.--Nothing.

18th, and 19th, W. and N.W., windy, very cold.--Nothing.

20th, W.S.W., very heavy, thick.--Nothing.

21st, N.W. to N., stormy, hail showers.--Nothing.

22d and 23d, N.E., hail, snow.--Nothing.

24th, E. by N., light, clear; in evening frost.--Nothing.

25th, E. by S., light, overcast.--Nothing.

26th, calm, overcast; in evening clear and cold, S.E., light.

_F. peregrinus_, one. _Corv. cornix_, very many. _T. merula_, less, nearly all old _Scol. rusticula_, thirty to forty shot. _Ral. aquaticus_, a couple. _Sax. ænanthe_, some [male]. _Alauda alpestris_, great flights. _Fr. cœlebs_, _cannabina_, and _chloris_, pretty many. _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, do. _Vanellus_ and _Tr. alpina_ passing on overhead early.

27th, S.S.W. violent, overcast, cold; in evening ten o'clock fog.--_F. æsalon_ [male]. _Lanius major_, one. _Corv. cornix_, early, a few great flights, very high, 1000 feet, passing on. _Turdus_, _Fringilla_, _Anthus_, stray birds. _Sax. ænanthe_, a couple old [male]. _Fr. montana_, some (the first). _Col. palumbus_, pretty many. _Vanellus_, early, pretty many. _Scolopax_, twenty to thirty been shot.

28th, N.N.W., slight; early overcast, later clear, fine.--_Corv. cornix_, single flights. _Sturnus_, some flights. _Merula_, pretty many, only half of them black. _Musicus_, some. _Alauda_, _Fringilla_, _Anthus_, few. _Alauda alpestris_, some flights. Woodcocks, 140 to 150 being shot. _Sy. rufa_, two in garden.

29th, northerly, light, clear, early hoar-frost.--_Corv. cornix_, not many. _Monedula_ and _frugilegus_, pretty numerous. _Sturnus_, small flights. _Merula_, early, pretty many. _Iliacus_, scattered. _Sy. rubecula_, a couple. _Regulus flavicapillus_, two. _Mot. alba_, several small flights and single birds. _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, pretty many. _Emb. schœniclus_ and _citrinella_. _F. cœlebs_, all very single. _Scolopax_, about twenty shot.

30th, E., S.S.E., slight, clear, fine, early, very sharp hoar-frost, in evening E.N.E., cool.--All the above, but in little numbers.

_T. viscivorus_, daily a few; never coming numerous. _Char. auratus_ and _vanellus_, as _Tot. calidris_ only singly. Ought to have been _merula_ and _scolopax_, but if hoar-frost turns up early, there is never much visible migration.

31st, S.E., quite light, clear, strong hoar-frost, during daytime warm.--Early, nothing, and during daytime almost nothing, in spite of fine weather. _C. cornix_ and _monedula_, very single small flights. No _Sturnus_, no _merula_, no Woodcocks shot. _S. titys_, one. _F. cœlebs_, _cannabina_, _chloris_, as _Anthus_ all very single.

Strange, that in forenoon, after all hoar-frost had disappeared, and it became quite warm and sunny, not a _merula_ or _scolopax_ arrived, and no Crows passed, the few flights of the latter passing surprisingly high, certainly several thousand feet, which is very uncommon, as the usual normal boundary is 500 to 600 feet. Can this give rise to the conclusion that other species whose normal route of migration lays always very high, should under the influence of hoar-frost migrate so high that they can neither be seen nor heard, which would be in the case of Crows about 10,000 feet?

In rare cases I have seen Rooks and Daws pass so high, that my attention being roused by their call, they were only visible in the shape of very fine dust.

The same also happens that under favourable atmospheric circumstances, the calls sound down clear from a height to which the sense of sight is unable to penetrate.

=April.=

1st, westerly, slight sunny; warmer. Highest cirri, N.O.--Only very little visible migration. The few flights of _Corv. cornix_ and _monedula_ extraordinary high, 3000 to 4000 feet. _Merula_, not many; more than half old [female]. _Musicus_ and _iliacus_, some. _Rubecula_, _Accentor_, _Regulus fl._, _Sax. ænanthe_ and _rubicola_, all only few. _Mot. alba_, _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, pretty many. Larks, few. _Fr. cœlebs_, _montifringilla_, _cannabina_, and _montium_, all pretty many. _Scolopax rusticula_, a couple. _Anas nigra_ [male], very many on the sea.

2d, N.N.W., light; early fog, flying clouds, W.S.W.; P.M. North overcast, cold.--Nothing during daytime. Early, from three to four o'clock, Woodcocks and Thrushes, Five to seven fog; in evening cold, clouds very slow from North. _Sy. titys_, a couple. _Merula_, very few.

3d, N.E., fresh, cold, clear; early, hasty cloud-flocks.--Nothing. _F. æsalon_ and _tinnunculus_, of each a couple. _Merula_, passing the whole day singly. _Al. alpestris_, pretty many. _Scolopax_, singly.

4th, N.E., slight, cool, clear; in evening, E. by S., cloudy.--Nothing. _Merula_, passing singly the whole day. _F. æsalon_ and _tinnunculus_, a couple. _Al. alpestris_, pretty many, flights of twenty to thirty. _Scolopax_, forty to fifty being shot.

5th, S.E., fresh, thick, cloudy; hasty clouds, low, loose; cold.--Early not a bird; during day few Starlings, Thrushes, Hedge Sparrows, and Shore Larks. Guillemots arrived by thousands in hatching places.

6th, S.E., pretty sharp, later, stiller, clear, not cold.--_F. peregrinus_, _æsalon_, and _tinnunculus_, pretty many. _Corv. cornix_, pretty many. _Monedula_, few. _T. merula_, few. _Musicus_, more. _Pilaris_, some. _Rubecula_ and _accentor_, several._Sax. ænanthe_, [female], and _Mot. alba_, pretty many. _Al. alpestris_, very many, passing on. _Fringilla_ and _Anthus_, only few. _Col. palumbus_ and _Scolopax_, not many.

7th, E., windy, overcast, cool; in evening, E. by N., rain.--_F. peregrinus_, _æsalon_, and _tinnunculus_, several. _T. musicus_, few; _torquatus_, a couple. _Anth. pratensis_, many; _rupestris_, few. _Al. arvensis_, _alpestris_, and _arborea_, small flights. _Emb. miliaria_, some. _Fr. cœlebs_, many on the move. _Col. palumbus_ and _Scolopax_, some. _Totanus glareola_, one.

8th, E. by S., fresh, overcast, clouds moving from S.E. and S.S.E. past; night cold, from 11 to 2 fog; early, at 5 o'clock, again fog.--_F. æsalon_ and _tinnunculus_, very many, passing on over the sea. _Mot. alba_ and _Emb. citrinella_, pretty many. _Miliaria_, less; almost nothing besides.

9th, E. by N., slight, weather good, clouds from S.S.E.; in evening, east wind, dark; during night rain.--_F. æsalon_ and _tinnunculus_, several. _C. cornix_ and _monedula_, pretty many early. _Turdus_, almost none. _Al. arvensis_, pretty many; _alpestris_, very many. _Sy. trochilus_, two to three. _Rubecula_, many. _Accentor_, tolerable. _Mot. alba_, many. _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, fewer. _Emb. citrinella_, many _schœniclus_, fewer. _Fr. cœlebs_, _montifringilla_, and _cannabina_, many. _Par. major_, many. _Reg. flavicapillus_ and _Sax. ænanthe_, also pretty many. _Scolopax_, only a few. _Sy. leucocyanea_, two fine old [male], one of them nearly uniform blue.

10th, easterly, light, thick, fine rain; in evening W. and W. by N., light. During the past night, from 2 o'clock, very many _Turdus_ and _Saxicola_ migrating. During the day extremely many of all the above species passing over the sea.

_F. peregrinus_, _æsalon_, and _tinnunculus_, many; _haliaëtos_, one. _Corv. cornix_ and _monedula_, pretty many. _Sturnus_, fewer. _T. musicus_, many; _merula_, fewer; _pilaris_, very many, great flights. _Sy. rubecula_, extraordinary many; not a single _Sylvia_ besides. _Accentor_, pretty many. _Sax. ænanthe_, in astonishing numbers. _Mot. alba_, _Anth. pratensis_ and _rupestris_, very many. _Al. arvensis_, very many; _alpestris_, in flights of hundreds. _Emb. citrinella_, _miliaria_, and _schœniclus_, singly. _F. cœlebs_, _montifringilla_, and _cannabina_ passing in uncountable numbers the whole day till evening. _Col. palumbus_, about ten. _Scolopax_, none. _Char. auratus_, _vanellus_, and _hiaticula_, as _Tringa_ and _Totanus_, very many migrating.