Part 1

Transcriber Note

Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_ and =Bold=.

REPORT

ON THE

=MIGRATION OF BIRDS=

IN THE

SPRING AND AUTUMN OF 1883.

BY

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

=FIFTH REPORT.=

"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.

1884.

PREFACE.

The following Report contains a summary of investigations of the Committee re-appointed by the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at Southport, in 1883, 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 Montreal, Canada, in 1884. 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; and those for the Coasts of Ireland, by Mr. R. M. Barrington and Mr. A. G. More. No return has been received by the Committee from the West Coast of England and the Isle of Man.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

East Coast of Scotland 1

East Coast of England 33

West Coast of Scotland 63

Coasts of Ireland 82

FIFTH REPORT

ON

THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS

IN THE

SPRING AND AUTUMN OF 1883.

"We had a succession of black nights going up the river, and it was observable that whenever we landed and suddenly inundated the trees with the intense sun-burst of the Electric Light, a certain curious effect was always produced: hundreds of birds flocked instantly out from the masses of shining green foliage, and went careering hither and thither through the white rays, and often a song bird turned up and fell to singing. We judged that they mistook this superb artificial day for the genuine article."--Mark Twain, in '_Life on the Mississippi_,' p. 452.

"Yea, even the fowl-- That through the polar summer months could see A beauty in Spitzbergen's naked isles, Or on the drifted icebergs seek a home-- Even they had fled, on southern wing, in search Of less inclement shores."--_The Fowler._

EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND, &c.

From Skykkesholm, in Iceland, comes our first return from that country since the commencement of our work. M. Thorlacius, to whom we are indebted for this return, writes as follows:--"As this list cannot nearly comprise all the Icelandic birds of passage, of which especially the sea-birds are wanting, I shall complete this by next mail, and send you the continuation along with a complete list of the appearances of birds of passage in the present year (1883). The dates quoted opposite each species is the day on which they were first observed here. The approximate date of departure will be given later."

The following notes are copied direct from M. Thorlacius' schedule, and are most useful to the Committee, serving as they do as finger-posts on the route of migration, indicating the important dates of arrival at their breeding-quarters of Icelandic summer migrants. When M. Thorlacius sends his autumn departures of migrants and the other good things he so kindly promises us, we will have useful standpoints, the spaces between which can be more easily filled in when these are fixed:--

Skykkesholm, Iceland, 1882, lat. 65° 4′ N.; long. 22° 43′ W.

April 7th, _Turdus iliacus_, S., very fresh; rain. May 8th, _Saxicola œnanthe_, S.E., light air; clear. April 24th, _Motacilla alba_, N.E., stormy; clear. May 24th, _Anthus pratensis_, N.E., storm; light showers. April 25th, _Scolopax gallinago_, N.E., storm; light showers. April 19th, _Totanus calidris,_ E., very fresh; dry. May 11th, _Numenius phæopus_, N.E., very fresh; light showers. April 17th, _Charadrius pluvialis_, N.E., very fresh; clear. April 19th, _Tringa alpina_, N.E., very fresh; clear. May 3rd, _T. cinerea_, E., blowing hard; clear. April 29th, _Strepsilas collaris_, N.E., storm; snow showers. April 26th, _Tringa hiaticula_, N.E., storm; dry. May 23rd, _Phalaropus cinerea_, N.E., blowing hard; clear. May 24th, _P. platyrhincha_, N.E., storm; snow showers. April 9th, _Falco cæsius_, N.E., very fresh; rain. April 9th, _Limosa melanura_, N.E., very fresh; rain. April 9th, _Hæmatopus ostralegus_, N.E., very fresh; rain. March 30th, _H. ostralegus._ April 30th, _Fringilla linaria_, N.E. storm, cloudy; rain. April 30th, _Loxia serinus_, N.E. storm, cloudy; rain. March 15th, _Uria grylle_, N.E.; clear. March 15th, _U. brunnichii_, N.E.; clear. March 15th, _U. troile_, N.E.; clear. March 15th, _U. alle_, N.E.; clear. March 15th, _Alca torda_, N.E.; clear, hard. April 25th, _Mormon fratercula_, N.E., very fresh. April 30th, _Carbo cormoranus_, N.E., light air. April 30th, _C. graculus_, N.E., light air. April 30th, _Puffinus arcticus_, N.E., light air.

Faroe.--From Faroe, thanks again to our friend Herr H. C. Müller, we have the following report, some twelve entries or so between Jan. 1st and Sept. 10th, 1883:--

On Jan. 1st three Wild Swans, _C. musicus_, seen flying S. at noon. On April 28th one _Gallinula chloropus_, Waterhen, taken alive in Vaay in Bordó. Between May 3rd and 11th several White Wagtails seen during N.N.E., stormy, with snow at different localities in the islands. On May 27th two Red-necked Phalaropes were seen on the sea near Thorshavn during S.W. wind, moderate, with showers of rain.

In August White Wagtails again appeared, when several were seen on the 21st at Thorshavn at noon, fresh W. breeze and clear. Between Aug. 28th and Sept. 10th, Whimbrels (see under Whimbrel, Curlew) were preparing for departure, and disappeared on the last-named date. During this time the winds were from N.W. on Aug. 28th by N. to N.E. on Aug. 30th to Sept. 3rd, and W. on the 10th, the day of departure.

_Note._--Herr H. C. Müller informs me that a lighthouse will be shortly erected at Nossoe, in Faroe, eighty feet above the sea. Herr Müller considers that this will prove a good station for observing birds during migration. Suderöe would also be a good observatory. He also told me of the occurrence, for the first time, of _Sciurus noveboracensis_ at Nordtalik, Greenland, about May, 1882; and of the occurrence also of a young Sabine's Gull at the same place. I have a young Sabine's Gull, brought home last year (1883) by the whalers to Dundee.

Of the progress of the scheme of accumulation of migrational data in other parts of the world, we may notice here that Dr. Arthur proposes to take up the subject at the lighthouses in New Zealand, and will send the Committee his schedules for arrangement.

Our American friends have made a promising start with similar intentions, but of a much wider scope, as is shown by the circular, which we here reprint, as it will show to our reporters other collateral subjects which offer plenty of opportunity for observation, and which can easily be made as applicable here as in North America, as regards our commoner species. Schedules somewhat more elaborate than ours have been issued also to lighthouses in America:--

"At the first congress of the American Ornithologists' Union, held in New York City, Sept. 26th-28th, 1883, a Committee on the Migration of Birds was appointed. It is the purpose of this Committee to investigate in all its bearings, and to the fullest extent possible, the subject of the migration of birds in the United States and British North America. The work will not be limited to the accumulation of records of the times of arrival and departure of the different species, but will embrace the collection of all data that may aid in determining the causes which influence the progress of migration from season to season. For example, severe storms, gales of wind, protracted periods of unusually high or low temperature (for the locality and time of year) are among the atmospheric conditions that are known to exert marked effects upon the movements of birds. The opening of the leaves and the flowering of certain plants, with the correlative appearance of a multitude of insects, are also among the factors that have to do with the abundance of many species. Hence the careful registration of certain meteorological phenomena, and of the state of advancing vegetation from day to day, will constitute prominent items in the record books of the observer.

"For convenience in collecting and arranging the enormous mass of material which will be accumulated by the joint labours of this army of field workers, it has been deemed advisable to divide the vast expanse of territory embraced in the United States and British North America into thirteen districts, each of which will be placed under the immediate direction of a competent superintendent."

Some time ago we received application from China for schedules and letters of instructions, but as yet we have had no further communication from that quarter. We would be glad to hear of the scheme being started there also. Most of the lighthouse-keepers there are Scotch and English.

The ordinary papers were sent to thirty stations on the East Coast of Scotland, Faroe, and Iceland, as in former years. Twelve stations on this coast have sent in forty-two schedules out of the twenty-six E.C. stations of Scotland. All returns are much lighter than in 1882, and this is more readily noticed when we compare the numbers of schedules returned from our principal stations. Thus, from Sumburgh Head we have three; from Pentland Skerries twelve (three more than in 1882); from Bell Rock two; and from Isle of May only ten, as against nineteen in 1882.

East Coast of Scotland.

'79 '80 '81 '82 '83 * * * 4. N. Unst, Shetland 230 ft. J. Edgar. * * * 5. Whalsey Skerries, Shet. 143 " * 6. Bressay, Shetland 105 " * * * * * 7. Sumburgh Head, Shet. 300 " D. M. Scott. Land Notes.--7B. Fair Isle.

Orkney.

* * * * 8. North Ronaldshay 140 " 9. Start Point 80 " * * * * * 10. Auskerry 110 " J. McDonald. 11. Hoy Sound (Low) 55 " 12. Hoy Sound (High) 115 " 13. Cantick Head 115 " * * * * * 14. Pentland Skerries 170 " {D. McDonald.† {J. Gilmour.

Mainland.

* * * * 15. Dunnet Head, Caithness 346 " D. Laidlaw. 16. Holborn Head, Caithness 75 " D. Laidlaw. * 17. Noss Head, Caithness 175 " A. Greig. * 18. Tarbat Ness, East Ross 175 " W. Davidson.‡ * * * 19. Cromarty, E. Cromarty 60 " R. S. Ritson. * * 20. Chanonry, Point Elgin 40 " J. McGill.§ * 21. Covesea Skerries 160 " 22. Kinnaird Head, Aberdeen 120 "‖ 23. Buchan Ness, Aberdeen 130 " * 24. Girdleness, Aberdeen 185 " 25. Montroseness, Aberdeen 124 "¶ * * * * * 26. Bell Rock, Fife Coast 93 " J. Jack. * * * * * 27. I. of May, Firth of Forth 240 " J. Agnew. * * * * 28. Inchkeith, F. of Forth 220 " R. Grierson. 29. St. Abb's Head, Berwicks 224 "

† Mr. D. McDonald removed from Pentland Skerries to Skervuile (W. C.) about July 26th, up to which time he sent returns from Pentland Skerries. Thereafter Mr. J. Gilmour took in hand the returns at the latter station.

‡ I have to thank Mr. W. Davidson for the first schedule received from Tarbat Ness. Between Aug. 15th and Oct. 30th there are only eleven entries,' all light, of ten different dates only. This schedule is valuable for its negative evidence, just as other more favoured localities for migrants give valuable positive evidence. Can I not induce others to return even empty schedules at the end of the year, with the simple remark "No Birds" or "Few Birds" attached, if such is the case? Then our Committee would have certainty to go by, not merely hypothesis. Mr. Davidson gives me the further information regarding this station, that he observed no further migration since Oct. 30th, the weather being so mild. It is usually before any changes in the weather that we see any birds passing here besides the birds which frequent the locality. The situation of Tarbat Ness is a very high tower, 175 feet, and is joined to farmhouses. It is not much sheltered, the tower being on the bare point. At some seasons great quantities of birds are seen (_in lit._, Jan. 20th, 1884).

§ At Chanonry lighthouse the schedule, again kindly returned by Mr. McGill, pretty clearly indicates and illustrates the action of local migrations. Thus he tells us:--"There are plenty of Black Crows, which fly between this and Nairn every day for feeding in the morning, and fly back at night. A great many grey ducks come down on this Firth for the purpose of feeding. It would seem they do not migrate. There are several flocks of birds which seem to fly north the one day and in a few days to fly back to the south; they seem to be the same flocks that have been feeding." From Chanonry Mr. McGill writes:--"Only one bird has struck the lantern since I came here in the summer of 1882, and only two lighted on the lantern. None killed." The returns from this station almost all relate to local movements, but are not on this account less valuable, but rather more so, as giving good opportunity of making comparisons and deductions. Most of the occurrences are attended by highly developed pressures, squalls, strong breezes, &c., but the directions of these are not given.

‖ Mr. D. M. Scott, who left this station, removed to Sumburgh Head. He sent the description of a bird from Kinnaird Head in 1882, but no schedule. Scarcity is the true reason of lack of returns from this station. Mr. Scott has sent well-filled schedules since from Sumburgh Head.

¶ "No Birds" at Montroseness, reason given for absence of returns in 1882 (_q.v._).

From Kinnaird Head Lighthouse I have the following reply to my inquiry:--"Birds at this lighthouse are every year getting more scarce, as the town is now extended to the lighthouse, and cooperage works at the very gate make much noise, and sparks of fire fly about whilst making the barrels." At the same time Mr. D. M. Scott, now at Sumburgh Head, tells me he has once caught, in one watch, forty-eight Starlings at the lantern, and some Thrushes.

I have also to thank Mr. Alexander Greig for the first return from Noss Head. The movements of Gannets, as related there, cannot fail to be of use to the Committee. Mr. Greig says, "There has been great scarcity of birds this last year, except those which are generally with us."

Through Mr. Thomas Southwell's kindness I have received a few items of interest from the log of the whaler 'Eclipse,' Capt. D. Gray. Also a note from Mr. T. H. Nelson, taken on board the 'Camoens,' 150 miles N.N.W. of Orkney; as also a note or two, through the kindness of Mr. Robert Gray, taken on board the 'Marathon' in the Atlantic by Mr. Thomas Anderson. These are now given; and the land notes will be entered after the paragraphs on each species or group.

'Eclipse.'--March 28th, 1883, 70° 7′ north, 3° 40′ west, saw but one Hooded Seal to-day, but plenty of Rotches, Looms, Snow Birds, and Mallemauks. April 19th, 69° 53′ north, 5° 30′ west, saw a few Bottlenose Whales, and at night a Merlin lighted on the fore-topsail-yard, and there fell asleep, and was afterwards caught. He seemed very tired and weak. I made a box for him, and fed him on small pieces of meat. April 22nd, the Hawk seems to be thriving; he is kept below during the day and on deck when it is fine. April 24th, 68° 29' north, 9° 12′ west, let the Hawk away at 10 a.m. He flew straight to S.W. At 2 p.m. spoke the 'Catharine' brig. Whilst speaking the 'Catharine' I was astonished to see my old friend the Hawk sitting on one leg in the lower quarter boat, looking very disconsolate, and, when scared, immediately flew to the 'Catharine.' He had evidently come across that vessel at sea, and had flown on board her. May 2nd, 68° 20′ north, 11° 30′ west, a great many birds about the ship, a few hundreds of Mallemauks, and numerous Snow Birds, Burgomasters, Snow Buntings, two Eider Ducks, and one Iceland Falcon. May 4th, the vessel was followed by a good many Mallemauks, Burgomasters, Snow Birds, &c. May 18th, 69° 37′ north, 9° 9′ east, in the morning a Loom alighted on the main-topsail-yard, and Rotches have been numerous, besides the usual number of Mallemauks, Kittiwakes, Snow Birds, and Burgomasters. May 22nd, 69° 59′ 3° west, about 65 miles N.N.E. from Jan Mayen, "a few Bottlenose Whales seen during the day, and several Black-headed Gulls and Whimbrels." [This is an interesting note in the distribution of the Whimbrel, which species Capt. Gray knows well, having brought home skins before now, all the way from the coast of S. Greenland, and others have arrived, brought by other whalers, at least two of which are in our collection.--J. A. H. B.] June 10th (70° 32′ north, 1° 29′ west), a Swallow or Martin seen. May 16th (about 67° 41′ north, 14° 34′ west), two birds known at home as Wheatears and Water Wagtails ["Watee Wagtails" (_sic_) local in Forfar.--J. A. H. B.] came on board and died. They were experiencing very heavy weather at the time.

'Marathon.'--October 12th, 1883 (46° 43′ north, 35° 39′ west), six or seven Snow Buntings flew on board, winter plumage, wind fresh N.W., and only two remained, the others leaving to go to another vessel passed by the 'Marathon.' The other vessel had a deck-load of wood.--R. G.

'Camoens.'--Mr. T. H. Nelson writes:--"A friend of mine took a trip to Iceland in the 'Camoens' last October. On Oct. 14th, 150 miles N.N.W. of Orkney, a Starling flew on board. On the journey both there and back, _viz._, between Oct. 18th and Dec. 3rd, a great many small birds were seen _flying south_, but my friend was not well enough versed in Ornithology to be able to identify them."

Notes are presented upon about seventeen species of water-fowl and fifty-four species of land birds, and about thirteen species of waders or littoral species, by our east coast reporters.

Spring migration having been more considerable this season, I keep separate in this Report.

The movements recorded occupy the whole year, from date of February to June, during spring, and from date of July to January, during autumn.

Separate Report under Genera and Species.

Turdidæ.--In spring a considerable migration noticed at certain stations, _viz._, Pentland Skerries, Bell Rock, and Isle of May. Began Feb. 2nd, when a rush of Song Thrushes took place at Bell Rock, and terminated May 10th, when, and upon the 9th, there were indications of another rush of Fieldfares and Ring Ouzels. Whilst Song Thrushes, Redwings, and Blackbirds seem usually to travel together, the larger-winged Fieldfares and Ring Ouzels are usually associated in our returns, though not invariably. Although this spring migration was spread over such a very considerable time, none of the returns are very heavy; but indications of rushes are sufficiently distinct. At Bell Rock, as above stated, on Feb. 2nd, strong E.N.E., with haze. Fieldfares and Ring Ouzels; at Isle of May, on March 2nd, light W., clear, Thrushes and Blackbirds--a decided but not large rush, which stopped abruptly with wind changing to gales from S.E. to E.N.E. and to N.W. (see Third Report, General Remarks, p. 67.--J. A. H. B.). In April, light but fairly continuous entries at Pentland Skerries and Isle of May, but little indication of a general movement, except on April 27th, when a good many Fieldfares and Ring Ouzels were noted at Isle of May, wind fresh S.E. Prevailing winds up to termination of spring migration, easterly along whole coast. On May 2nd, and again on 9th and 10th, there were faint indications of rushes at Isle of May, principally of Fieldfares.