Part 1

Transcriber Note

Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_ and =Bold=.

REPORT

ON THE

MIGRATION OF BIRDS

IN THE

SPRING AND AUTUMN OF 1884.

BY

Mr. J. A. HARVIE BROWN, Mr. J. CORDEAUX, Mr. R. M. BARRINGTON, Mr. G. A. MORE,

AND

Mr. W. EAGLE CLARKE.

SIXTH REPORT.

(Vol. II., No. 1.)

"A good practical naturalist must be a good observer; and how many qualities are required to make up a good observer! Attention, patience, quickness to seize separate facts, discrimination to keep them unconfused, readiness to combine them, and rapidity and yet slowness of induction; above all, perfect fidelity, which can be seduced neither by the enticements of a favourite theory nor by the temptation to see a little more than actually happens in some passing drama."--_Essays, Bishop Wilberforce_, Vol. I.

LONDON: PRINTED BY WEST, NEWMAN & CO., 54, HATTON GARDEN.

1885.

PREFACE.

The following Report contains a summary of investigations of the Committee re-appointed by the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at Montreal, Canada, in 1884, to consist of Professor Newton, Mr. J. A. Harvie Brown, Mr. John Cordeaux, Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, Mr. R. M. Barrington, and Mr. A. G. More, for the purpose of obtaining (with the consent of the Master and Elder Brethren of the Trinity House, the Commissioners of Northern Lights, and the Commissioners of Irish Lights) observations on the Migration of Birds at Lighthouses and Lightships, and of reporting on the same at Aberdeen in 1885. Mr. Cordeaux to be the Secretary.

The returns relating to Scotland have been arranged by Mr. J. A. Harvie Brown; for the East Coast of England, by Mr. Cordeaux; for the West Coast of England, by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke; and those for the Coasts of Ireland, by Mr. R. M. Barrington, Mr. A. G. More, and Mr. Eagle Clarke.

Having obtained an additional grant from the British Association, we venture this year to add a new feature to our Report in the form of a sketch-map, showing all the stations in _red_. We have done this at the intelligent request of several of our reporters; and the map has been executed for us by Messrs. Macfarlane & Erskine, of St. James' Square, Edinburgh.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Ocean Notes 1

East Coast of Scotland 10

East Coast of England 39

West Coast of Scotland 74

West Coast of England and Wales 101

Irish Coast 125

LIST OF STATIONS.

1. Iceland. =England--East Coast.= 2. Do. 3. Faroe. 30. Longstone L.H. 3_b_. Fair Isle. 31. Inner Farn L.H. 32. Coquet Island L.H. =Scotland--East Coast.= 33. 5 Buoy Tees L.V. 34. Whitby High L.H. 4. N. Unst. 35. Flamborough Head L.H. 5. Whalsey Skerries. 36. Spurn Point L.H. 6. Bressay Sound. 37. Spurn L.V. 7. Sumburgh Head. 38. Inner Dowsing L.V. 8. N. Ronaldshay. 39. Dudgeon L.V. 9. Start Point. 40. Outer Dowsing L.V. 10. Auskerry. 41. Llyn Wells L.V. {11. Hoy Sound (Low). 42. Hasbro' L.V. {12. Hoy Sound (High). 43. Leman and Ower L.V. 13. Cantick Head. 44. Hunstanton L.H. 14. Pentland Skerries. 45. Cromer L.H. 15. Dunnet Head. 46. Hasbro' L.H. 16. Holborn Head. 47. Winterton L.H. 17. Noss Head. 48. Newarp L.V. 18. Tarbat Ness. 49. Cockle L.V. 19. Cromarty. 50. Corton L.V. 20. Chanonry Point. 51. Orfordness L.H. 21. Covesea Skerries. 52. Languard Point L.H. 22. Kinnaird Head. 53. Shipwash L.V. 23. Buchan Ness. 54. Swin Middle L.V. 24. Girdleness. 55. Nore L.V. 25. Montroseness. 56. Tongue L.V. 26. Bell Rock. 57. Kentish Knock L.V. 27. Isle of May. 58. Galloper L.V. 28. Inchkeith. 59. North Foreland L.H. 28_b_. Fidra (1885). 60. North Sand Head L.V. 29. St Abb's Head. 61. Gull L.V. 62. Eastside L.V. 63. South Foreland L.H. 64. South Sand Head L.V. 65. Varne L.V.

=Scotland--West Coast.= =England--West Coast.=

81. Cape Wrath. 119. Bahama Bank L.V. 82. Rhu Stoir. 120. St Bees L.H. 83. Butt of Lewis. 121. Selker L.V. 84. Stornoway. 122. Morecambe Bay L.V. 85. Island Ghlais. 123. Dee L.V. 86. Monach Isles. 124. Air L.H. 87. Ushenish. 125. Menai L.H. 88. Barra Head. 126. Skerries L.H. 89. Rona. 127. Holyhead Breakwater L.H. 90. Kyleakin. 128. South Stack L.H. 91. Isle Ornsay. 129. Carnarvon Bay L.V. 92. Ardnamurchan. 130. St Tudwall's L.H. 93. Skerryvore and Hynish 131. Bardsey Island L.H. Signal Tower, Tiree. 132. Cardigan Bay L.V. 94. Dhuheartach. 133. South Bishop L.H. 95. Sound of Mull. 134. Smalls L.H. 96. Corran Ferry. 135. Great Castlehead L.H. 97. Lismore. 136. Milford L.H. 98. Fladda, Easdale. 137. Caldy L.H. 99. Rhuvaal. 138. Helwick L.V. 100. M'Arthur's Head. 139. Scarweather L.V. 101. Skervuile. 140. Nash L.H. 102. Rhinns of Islay. 141. Breaksea L.V. 103. Lochindaul. 142. Flatholm L.H. 104. Mull of Kintyre. 143. English and Welsh 105. Sanda. Grounds L.V. 106. Devaar. 144. Usk L.H. 107. Pladda, Arran. 145. Avon L.H. 108. Lamlash. 146. Burnham L.H. 109. Turnberry. 147. Bull Point L.H. 109_b_. Ailsa Craig 148. Bideford L.H. (building, 1885). 149. Lundy L.H. 110. Corsewall. 150. Hartland Point L.H. 111. Loch Ryan. 151. Trevose Head L.H. 112. Portpatrick. 152. Godrevy L.H. 113. Mull of Galloway. 153. Longships L.H. 114. Little Ross. 154. Sevenstones L.V. 155. Wolf-Rock L.H. =Isle of Man.= 156. Scilly L.H. 157. Bishop's Rock L.H. 115. Point of Ayre. 158. Lizard L.H. 116. Douglas Head. 159. Falmouth Harbour L.H. 117. Langness (1880). 160. Eddystone L.H. 118. Chickens Rock. 161. Plymouth Breakwater L.H. 162. Start L.H.

=Ireland.=

1. Fastnet. 20. Arranmore. 2. Galley Head. 21. Rathlin O'Birne. 3. Old Head, Kinsale. 22. Killybegs. 4. Mine Head. 23. Oyster Island. 5. Dungarvan. 24. Broadhaven. 5*.Coningbeg Lt.-ship. 25. Eagle Island, E. 6. Barrels Rock Lt.-ship. 26. Eagle Island, W. 7. Tuskar. 27. Blackrock, Mayo. 8. Arklow S. Lt.-ship. 28. Blacksod Point. 8*.Arklow N. Lt.-ship. 29. Clare Island. 10. Kish Bank Lt.-ship. 30. Slyne Head, N. 11. Howth Baily. 31. Slyne Head, S. 12. Rockabill. 32. Arran Island, N. 13. Copeland Island. 33. Straw Island. 14. Maidens. 34. Arran Island, S. 15. Rathlin. 36. Samphire Island. 16. Innishtrahull. 37. Tearaght. 17. Dunree Head. 38. Valencia. 18. Lough Swilly. 39. Skelligs. 19. Tory Island. 40. Dursey Island.

=Outlying Stations.=

Heligoland. Stevns Fyr, Zealand. Malmo, Sweden. Casquets L.H., Alderney. Hanois L.H., Guernsey.

SIXTH REPORT:

ON

THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS

IN THE

SPRING AND AUTUMN OF 1884.

OCEAN NOTES.

Thanks again to Messrs. Gray and Anderson, I have some interesting items of migration to record, taken by the latter gentleman on board the steamship 'Marathon' in the Atlantic. These are best given _in extenso_; and land-notes will be given after the paragraphs on each species or group.

_Steamship 'Marathon,' outward bound from Liverpool, April 16th, 1884._

April 17th.--A small bird came on board at 7 p.m., 15 miles from nearest land. (Position of ship at noon, Queenstown). Wind easterly for ten hours previous, and was increasing to moderate gale from E.N.E. when the bird was seen. From the description of this bird it can scarcely have been other than a Whinchat or Stonechat. No Petrels.[1]

[Footnote 1: The lat. and long, give the ship's position at noon each day.]

April 18th.--At 7 p.m., another, precisely the same species as yesterday's, 310 miles from land; not caught. Eight Kittiwakes and four Manx Shearwaters. Wind light E. all day. (Position of ship at noon, lat. 51° N., long. 15° 47′ W.). No Petrels.

April 19th.--Two Kittiwakes all day, till 580 miles from land. Little Auks[2] (?) seen frequently in parties of two to eight all day. Two Shearwaters, 600 miles from land. Lat. 60° 1′, long. 22° W.

[Footnote 2: Called "Little Puffins," size of Water Ouzel, in notes.]

April 20th.--At 8 a.m., one Manx Shearwater, 770 miles out. Several pairs of little Auks during forenoon. At 5 p.m., two Black-backed Common Shearwaters, 870 miles from land, outward bound. No Petrels.

April 21st.--At 7 a.m., two Common Shearwaters, 1090 miles from Fastnet. At 11.30 a.m., two Wilson's Petrels, 1145 miles out. Lat. 46° 37′, long. 36° 18′; calm. (_Note._--Previous to this date the note was appended to each day's entry, "No Petrels.")

April 22nd.--At 8 a.m., one Wilson's Petrel (_i.e._, _Oceanites oceanicus_, Kuhl.), 1400 miles out from Fastnet; and one at 4 p.m., 1500 miles. At 7 p.m., two large Puffins[3] flying south. Wind light E. Lat. 44° 11′, long. 42° 22′.

[Footnote 3: Common Puffin, "Tammy Norie," _Fratercula arctica_ (Linn.).]

April 23rd.--At 11 a.m., two black-looking birds, like Gulls (? Skuas) flying rapidly to N.E. During the day saw several specimens of the large sea-bird usually seen on the banks (of which we are now within sixty miles). [Probably from description the immature of some species of large Gull.--J. A. H. B.]. Numerous small parties of two or three of the Little Auk, and two large Puffins. From 6 to 7 p.m., saw numerous parties of ten to twelve of some kind of (apparently) Plover, flying south. No Petrels. Lat. 42° 28′, long. 43° 39′; wind light N.E.

April 24th.--At 7 a.m., three Black-footed Petrels,--Fork-tailed Petrel (_Thalassidroma leucorrhoa_),--and two Wilson's Petrels. At 5 p.m., one Little Auk and one Gull (yellow beak and legs), 700 miles from Boston at noon. Lat. 42° 24′, long. 55° 05′; wind light easterly.

April 25th.--At 8 a.m., six "Shore" Gulls and two Little Auks. At 5 p.m., one Skua. No Petrels. Lat. 42° 24′, long. 61° 21′; calm.

April 26th.--Occasional Gulls all day. No Petrels. Wind light N.; 141 miles from Boston at noon.

_Return Voyage of Steamship 'Marathon' from Boston, May 3rd._

May 3rd.--At 11 a.m., when 220 miles from Boston, one Common Swallow (by description a Martin.--J. A. H. B.) going west(!). Eight Black-footed Petrels; one Solan Goose, immature; numerous Gulls. At 6 a.m., apparently the same Solan Goose, twelve Wilson's Petrels, numerous Gulls, five Puffins, and two Little Auks. Lat. 42° 16′, long. 65° 58′; wind light W.

May 5th.--At 8.30 a.m., one Skua. Thirty to forty Wilson's Petrels all day. At 6 p.m., a couple of Gulls, and some Puffins. Lat. 42° 10′, long. 59° 56′; wind light to mod. W.

May 6th.--From 8 a.m. till dark, thirty Wilson's Petrels, two Little Auks, and one Gull. Lat. 42° 04′, long. 53°; wind mod. N.W.

May 7th.--All day, twenty Wilson's Petrels, and four Manx Shearwaters. Lat. 42° 56′, long. 46° 46′; wind fresh N.W.

May 8th.--At 8 a.m., one Black-footed Petrel (Fork-tailed Petrel probably, Wilson's being yellow-webbed between the toes--J. A. H. B.). Wind strong N.

May 9th.--At 8 a.m., five Terns flying N. At 8.30, twelve Terns resting on sea ahead, flew north. At 5 p.m., seven or eight Wilson's Petrels flying north, very tired-looking, and never heeded the ship. One "Black-footed Petrel" flying N. Lat. 47° 29′, long. 36° 09′; wind strong N.

May 10th.--Very numerous parties of Terns all day, flying north, three to twelve in number. At 9 a.m., one Skua, one Black-footed Petrel, and one Kittiwake. Lat. 49° 12′, long. 30° 04′, or 794 miles from Fastnet; wind strong to mod. N.

May 11th.--At 8 a.m., several parties of Terns, and three Skuas, all going north. At 8.30 a.m., one Kittiwake. At 5 p.m., three Kittiwakes. At 7 p.m., three Skuas circling about. No Petrels. Lat. 50° 81′, long, 23° 19′; wind mod. N.

May 12th.--At 8 a.m., sixteen Kittiwakes, 10 Wilson's Petrels, and four Manx Shearwaters. At 6 p.m., three Skuas, and two very dark hawk-looking birds, evidently in company, one very dark and the other had white vest and throat (Mr. Anderson's "Skuas" are probably Pomatorhine Skuas, and these last Richardson's Skuas.--J. A. H. B.). At 6.30 a flock of eighty or ninety Terns flying high and going N. and W., and circling frequently as if in doubt as to the proper course. They approached the ship from N.E., and were lost to sight astern, still undecided. One Puffin.

May 13th.--At 8 a.m., one (by description) Richardson's Skua flew past, seaward, ten miles from Queenstown, at noon. No Petrels.

May 14th.--Only Gulls and Puffins.

The 'Marathon' is again advertised to sail for Boston on June 18th.

_Cunard Royal Mail Steamship, 'Gallia.'_

At a later date Mr. Anderson sends a note on Solan Geese:--"On Jan. 20th we passed numerous Solan Geese at Cape St. Vincent. They could not fly, and many had a hard job to flutter off on the surface sufficiently far to clear the ship. I saw one black one. The others were mostly white, with yellowish heads and greyish beaks. They all had the appearance of being fully fledged. One Robin stayed a day on board between Naples and Burriana, in Spain."

We suspect the regular appearance of Solans so far to the southward will turn out to be closely associated with the migrations of fish, possibly pilchards; and that, gorged with these fish, they were unable to rise off the water, this difficulty not arising from any state of moult in the bird's plumage.--J. A. H. B.

_Union Steamship 'Athenian.'--First Voyage, 1884._

Thanks also to Mr. Spearman Swinburne, of Union Steamship 'Athenian,' I have several good schedules returned from two voyages--one in spring, between April 5th and 29th; and the second between Aug. 24th and Oct. 4th.

April 5th.--One Robin, one Yellowhammer, a flock of Jackdaws, three Lapwings, and one Crested Lark (_A. cristata_), between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.; strong S.S.E.; v. c. r. The Robin alighted, so did the Yellowhammer. The Jackdaws were flying to eastward. The Lapwings followed the ship, and the Crested Lark alighted on board. The Robin and Yellowhammer were seen in lat. 53° N., long. 9° E.; the others in lat. 54° N., long. 10° E.

April 12th.--Seven Red-throated Divers, flying E.; one lot of three, the rest singly, all with white throats; 6 to 7 a.m.; light N.W., clear; off Schelling light-vessel.

April 20th.--One Wheatear, 2 p.m. till dark; light N.E., v. c.; alighted on board. Lat. 46° N., long. 8° W.

April 22nd.--Bulwer's Petrels, throughout the morning; W., strong, v. c.; about nine or ten in all flying singly, generally against the wind. Lat. 34° N., long. 16° W. Also one "white-breasted" Petrel, at 7 a.m., same lat. and long., fluttering on surface. One Black Tern (in full black plumage); and on April 29th, Sooty Terns and Common Terns; a large flock at 9 a.m., wind light S., including with these species a dark species of Gull.[4] Lat. 1° S., long. 13° W.

[Footnote 4: Or Falcon (?).--J. A. H. B.]

_Remarks._--Oct. 19th, off Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope). Passed through numbers of Great Shearwaters, and continued seeing them up to Algoa Bay. This is the first time I have seen them on this coast, and they are not included among the birds of S. Africa. On our return, on November 2nd, we passed smaller numbers of them, chiefly flying to the S.W. Nov. 16th, off Bejouga Islands, observed a Skua in uniform brown plumage chasing two grey and white birds, apparently some kind of pigeon. While one bird was being attacked, the other would rise in the air and attack the Skua in turn, and this continued till I lost sight of them. The same day, at 1 p.m., saw what looked like land; on approach turned out to be enormous flocks of sea-birds feeding and moving to the N.E. Those we saw afterwards were nearly all Greater Shearwaters.

Migratory Birds seen at Sea.--Dec. 18th, 1884, to Feb. 17th, 1885.

+--------------------+-----------+-------- Date. | Lat. | Long. | Wind. |Weather. --------+--------------------+-----------+-------- Dec. 19 | Plymouth| Sound. | | " 29 | 6° 45′ N.|15° 16′ W.| N.E., 2 | b. c. " 30 | 2° 31′ N.|12° 16′ W.| Vble. | b. c. " 31 | 1° 43′ S.| 9° 30′ W.| S.E., 2 | b. " " | 1° 43′ S.| 9° 30′ W.| S.E., 2 | b. 1885. | | | | Feb. 3 | 9° 23′ S.| 3° 22′ W.| S.E., 1, 2| b. c. " 4 | 4° 54′ S.| 6° 44′ W.| S.S.E., 2 | b. " 6 | 3° 54′ N.|13° 18′ W.| S.S.E., 2 | b. c. " 9 |18° 03′ N.|17° 36′ W.| N.E., 4 | b. " 10 |22° 56′ N.|16° 56′ W.| N.E., 3, 4| b. | | | | " " |22° 56′ N.|16° 56′ W.| N.E., 3, 4| b. | | | | --------+---------+----------+-----------+-------- -------+---------------+---------------------------- Date. | Birds. | Remarks. -------+---------------+---------------------------- Dec. 19| | " 29|1 Hoopoe. |Flying about ship; alighted. " 30|1 Black Tern. |Close to ship. " 31|Sooty Terns. |A large flock. " "|Black Terns. |Several. 1885. | | Feb. 3|Sooty Tern. |1. " 4|Black Tern. |1. " 6|Black Tern. |1. " 9|Grey Phalarope.|Small flock flying N. " 10|2 Terns (Common| | Arctic). | " "|Grey Phalarope.|A flock flying N.; some | | swimming. -------+---------------+----------------------------

(Signed) S. Swinburne.

Steamship 'Athenian.'--Second Voyage, 1884.