Part 6

_Charadrius pluvialis_, Golden Plover.--Farn L.H., July 27th, five to E., and on Aug. 20th, flock to W.; numerous on island through August and September, moving to and from the mainland. At the Spurn on Aug. 29th, a large flock to N.[22]; and at Wells, Norfolk, Aug. 27th, in small parties on mud. Heligoland, July. 16th, one young bird shot; Aug. 21st to 24th, young birds; 16th and 17th, great flights, all young; 29th, great flights; night Oct. 31st to Nov. 1st, "whole atmosphere gloomy darkness, Curlew, Lapwing, Tringa, Snipe, Woodcock, but no Golden Plover." Dec. 4th, N.E. (No. 8 or 9), snow-storm. Woodcocks and Golden Plover.

[Footnote 22: The occurrence of a large body of Golden Plovers at the Spurn at this date, passing to the north, is somewhat remarkable in connection with the large flight of the same species seen there, passing in the same direction, on Aug. 22nd, in 1880, and on Sept. 6th in 1881. (Yarrell's Brit. Birds, ed. iv., vol. iii., p. 274).]

_Squatarola helvetica_, Grey Plover.--Spurn, June 7th, 11 a.m., N.E., flocks along coast. Hasbro' L.V., Nov. 1st, four killed. Tees L.V., Dec. 13th, large flock.

_Vanellus vulgaris_, Lapwing.--Spring, Cockle L.V., March 8th, large flocks to S.W. Autumn, Yarmouth, Oct. 6th, large flocks in afternoon from sea; 30th, Hasbro' L.V., great rush; Whitby L.H., Nov. 15th, 16th and 17th, flights each day, south-westerly gale; also at Hunstanton L.H. on 16th, to S.W., from daylight to noon.

_Strepsilas interpres_, Turnstone.--Yarmouth, Aug. 11th, young birds to S. Farn L.H., 14th, large flocks at noon. Redcar, 31st, large flock near Teesmouth, fresh arrivals.

_Hæmatopus ostralegus_, Oystercatcher.--Llyn Wells L.V., Jan. 7th, 1884, one killed (J. H. G.).

_Phalaropus hyperboreus_, Red-necked Phalarope.--Yarmouth, Oct. 24th, one shot.

_Scolopax rusticula_, Woodcock.--Flamborough L.H., April 6th, struck and killed. Two or three occurred at Teesmouth (Redcar), last week in August, and a few in September. At Seaton Snook and Flamborough on Sept. 21st. The "first flight" was on the Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts, on the night of Oct. 21st, wind N.E. The "great flight," or rush, on the nights of Oct. 28th and 29th, covering the whole of the E. coast, from the Farn Islands to Yarmouth, the bulk coming probably into the Humber district. A friend wrote me he had shot eighteen on the morning of 29th, and might easily have doubled this number if he had started early enough. From the 2nd to the 10th of November stragglers continued to arrive between the Farn Islands and Yarmouth. Heligoland, Sept. 22nd, first; Oct. 22nd, one hundred caught or shot; 28th, astounding passage of Larks, Starlings, Peewits, Snipes and Woodcocks; Oct. 30th, twenty to thirty shot; 31st, ten to twenty shot; 31st to Nov. 1st, thirteen caught, a few stragglers to December 4th.[23]

[Footnote 23: Mr. Clubley, of Kilnsea, near the Spurn, who during his life has probably shot more Cock than anyone living on the east coast, says that a S.E. wind always brings _large grey_ or _light-coloured_ Woodcocks, a N. wind _small_ and _red-coloured_ birds--that is, Scandinavian birds. This rule seems to hold good on other parts of our east coast. See also remarks by Mr. J. Harvie-Brown.]

_Gallinago major_, Great Snipe.--N. E. Lincolnshire, Oct. 2nd, one shot; Yarmouth, same date, one.

_G. cælestis_, Common Snipe.--Yarmouth, Aug. 11th, several. Great Cotes, Sept. 25th, first considerable flight, wind S.E. night of 24th, with gale and heavy rain. Hasbro' L.H., Nov. 8th, two struck and killed. Heligoland, Oct. 22nd, great flight; 28th, night, immense.

_Limnocryptes gallinula_, Jack Snipe.--Farn. L.H., Sept. 21st, S.E., noon, two. Galloper L.V., Nov. 3rd, one (J. H. G.) Llyn Wells L.V., 7th, one (J. H. G.)

_Tringa alpina_, Dunlin.--Languard L.H., March 10th, 7.40 a.m., very large flock, very rapidly to N. _T. minuta_, Little Stint, Bridlington, Aug. 3rd, two seen (W. E. C.), and at Yarmouth, second week in September, three.[24]

[Footnote 24: The first great rush of _Tringæ_ across Heligoland was Aug. 6th and 7th; 14th also, all sorts; and on 21st and 22nd, same; again on night of Oct. 31st, and morning of Nov. 1st.]

_T. subarquata_, Curlew Sandpiper.--Essex coast, August 1st, Colonel Russell shot three from a flock of Oxbirds; they were in partial moult; another was seen.

_T. striata_, Purple Sandpiper.--Farn L.H., May 15th, 6 p.m., S.S.E., very large flock flying over island; and at the same station, on Nov. 28th, very large flocks of Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper and Redshank. Yarmouth, Oct. 5th, five seen.

_T. canutus_, Knot.--Spurn, June 13th, flock arrived from S. The first Knots in the autumn were seen at Yarmouth and Redcar on Aug. 11th, and by the end of the month were tolerably numerous along the east coast. Llyn Wells L.V., Sept. 22nd, N.N.E., large flocks to S. all day; at this station also, from Oct. 20th to Jan. 6th, 1884, twenty-eight were killed against the lantern.[25]

[Footnote 25: The Knot at Blakeney is always called "Knet"; Godwit, a "Pick"; Dunlin, "Stint"; Whimbrel, "May-bird"; Turnstone, "Dotterel"; Ringed Plover, "Oxbird." On the Essex coast the Whimbrel is a "May-bird" or "Titterel," the latter from its cry; Godwits are "Pream;" Knot, "Marl"; Dunlin, "Oxbird"; Ringed Plover, "Stone-runner." At Spurn the Knot is a "Plover-knot," but on the Lincolnshire coast simply a "Knot". Local names, common to both sides of the Humber, are, Turnstone, "Dotterel"; Common Dotterel, "Land Dotterel," "Spring Dotterel"; Grey Plover, "Pigeon," or "Buffel-headed Plover"; Dunlin, "Stint," or "Tommy Stint"; Ringed Plover, "Sand-runner"; Whimbrel, "Curlew-jack"; Godwit, "Curlew-whelp." On the Durham coast the Knot is both a "Dunlin" and "Grey Plover"; Dunlin, a "Stint"; Sanderling, "White Stint"; Whimbrel, "Curlew-jack"; Lapwing, a "Tyafit"; Godwit, "Goodwin." The local names of birds vary so in different districts that they frequently become very puzzling to the members of the Committee; it would greatly assist their labours and facilitate enquiry if any fellow-worker would take the trouble to compile a glossary of local names of our British birds. The investigation might be rendered easy by sending printed forms to the best known ornithologists, in their respective districts. The results could not fail to be both useful and interesting.]

_Machetes pugnax_, Ruff.--Yarmouth, second week in September, five ruffs and one reeve.

_Calidris arenaria_, Sanderling.--Flamborough, Aug. 3rd, old male in summer plumage (W. E. C.). Yarmouth, 11th, Knots and Sanderlings on beach. Spurn, Oct. 23rd, a few.

_Totanus glareola_, Wood Sandpiper.--Bridlington, middle of August, a young bird was shot on South Sands (W. E. C.). Spurn, middle of September, three, all immature, taken to Mr. P. Lawton, of Easington.

_T. calidris_, Redshank.--Outer Dowsing L.V., May 9th, one "Red-legged Sandpiper" on deck, then to W. Wells, Norfolk, Aug. 28th, numerous; one hundred or more in a flock. Tees L.V., Sept. 23rd, large flock. Farn L.V., Nov. 28th, very large flocks with Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone on rocks. _T. fuscus_, Spotted Redshank, Breydon, Oct. 20th, one shot.

_T. canescens_, Greenshank.--Wells, Norfolk, Aug. 27th, "comparatively numerous." Yarmouth, Aug. 9th, four shot, all immature. Sept. 2nd, two.

_Limosa lapponica_, Bar-tailed Godwit.--Redcar, July 28th, and forward to Aug. 27th, in some numbers.

_Numenius phæopus_, Whimbrel.--Redcar, July 18th, N.E. light, first passing over, very high. Yarmouth, Aug. 1st, all day. Redcar, 8th, S.W. strong, two large flocks of fifty; 23rd and 24th, rush, and at intervals to Sept. 10th.

_N. arquata_, Curlew.--Farn L.H., March 11th, 5 to 6 p.m., four to five hundred to island from mainland in flocks from five to thirty. Whitby L.H., June 20th, great many night and day. Winterton L.H., Sept. 10th, 12.30 a.m., one caught beating against lantern, great many during night to W. Farn L.H., Nov. 17th, large flock to E. Hasbro' L.V., Jan. 3rd, 1884, one killed. Heligoland, Oct. 30th and 31st, great many with _Tringa_ and _Scolopax_, _Limosa_ and _Vanellus_; and night of 31st, great rush.

Sterninæ, Terns.--Spurn, May 4th, all day to north. At the Farne Islands the Arctic Terns, _Sterna macrura_, returned to their nesting quarters on May 20th, and left again on Aug. 3rd, only a few being seen after that date. Yarmouth, Aug. 7th to 10th, Black, Common, and Arctic Terns along shore, and through the month to 31st; in shore only when wind is westerly, in flocks of ten to fifty, nine-tenths being young; it is the westerly winds which bring in the herring "syle," on which the Terns feed. The Sandwich Tern, _Sterna cantiaca_, arrived at the Farn Islands between April 15th and 23rd, leaving again on Aug. 3rd. At Languard Point, Mr. Owen Boyle saw on June 1st, 4.45 a.m., a pair of Roseate Terns; 7th, four Sandwich Terns; 15th, four Lesser Terns; and on 23rd, four Common Terns. At Redcar, on Sept. 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th, many flights were heard passing over in dark.

Larinæ, Gulls.--Whitby L.H., Feb. 15th, Herring Gulls returning to cliffs; July 18th, first young on wing; Aug. 14th, Gulls, old and young, left the cliff. Farn L.H., April 14th, Lesser Black-backed Gulls returning to nesting quarters. Yarmouth, Aug. 10th, Gulls, mostly young, along shore feeding on "syle," five to thirty in flock. Flamborough, Sept. 12th, great many Gulls all day to south. Spurn, Sept. 24th, two hundred Herring Gulls to south. Cockle L.V., Oct. 25th, great many large Gulls, young and old, E. to W.; Nov. 17th to 23rd, 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Great Black-backed Gulls from W. to E. Farn L.H., Nov. 8th to 30th, very large number of Black-headed Gulls fishing round island at flood each day; Dec. 8th, two "Bass" Gulls; 12th, one. "These Gulls are all cream-colour. I am not sure if they are the Glaucous, so have given them the local name." At Heligoland, young Glaucous Gulls, _L. glaucus_, were repeatedly seen about island in December; and during the last week in January, 1884, hundreds of Black-headed Gulls, _L. ridibundus_, frequented the plateau of cliff, which Mr. Gätke says is a "very exceptional" circumstance there. _Xema sabinii_, Sabine's Gull, an immature example was shot on. Oct. 28th, the second example which has been obtained there; and on Nov. 10th a second young bird was seen by Aeuckens, the birdstuffer.

Stercorariinæ, Skuas.--Redcar, Aug. 25th, two; Teesmouth, 27th, Richardson's Skua, _S. crepidatus_. Farn L.H., Sept. 17th, several chasing Gulls. Yarmouth, 20th, many. Heligoland, Oct. 27th, _S. pomatorhinus_, one.

Procellariidæ, Petrels.--The Stormy Petrel, _P. pelagica_, occurred at Yarmouth, Oct. 2nd, and Spurn on 23rd, shot in each case from beach. Hasbro' L.V., 27th, seven caught on deck, on 31st ten, and between Oct. 27th and Nov. 4th several were taken at various stations at sea off the east coast. One Fork-tailed Petrel, _P. leucorrhoa_, from Happisburgh (Hasbro') L.V. in October. A Shearwater was seen at Farn L.H. July 20th, 6 a.m., going north; and at Spurn L.H. on Aug. 5th, 2 a.m., a Manx Shearwater, _P. anglorum_, was killed against the lantern. Breydon, Sept. 5th, one shot. In the latter part of the same month two Sooty Shearwaters, P. griseus, were obtained in Bridlington Bay, and taken to the shop of Mr. Jones, birdstuffer, where they were seen and identified by Mr. W. E. Clarke.[26]

[Footnote 26: 'Zoologist,' 1884, p. 180.]

Colymbidæ, Divers.--Tees L.V., March 28th, one Great Northern and two Red-throated Divers off the light-ship, in company with two Grebes, twelve Sheldrake, and six Brent Geese. Redcar, Sept. 2nd, four or five Red-throated Divers; and on 20th several lots of both. Breydon Water, Oct. 16th, adult Red-throated Diver. At the Farn Islands, last half of October and in November, many Great Northern Divers about islands; Jan. 15th, 1884, several Red-throated Divers about island.

Podicipidæ, Grebes.--Bridlington, latter part of August, Red-necked Grebe, _P. griseigena_, shot, in full summer plumage. Spurn, Nov. 2nd, a few pairs of Little Grebes, _Tachybaptes fluviatilis_, on ponds; and on Jan. 6th, 1884, three Great Crested Grebes, _P. cristatus_, on the sea off point.

Alcidæ, Auks.--At Flamborough, in February, 1884, great numbers of Razorbills, _Alca torda_, all returned to their nesting quarters on the cliffs, an unprecedented circumstance there; and large numbers of the Common Guillemot were reported by the fishermen as seen at sea off the headland. At the Farn Islands, March 22nd, 1883, Guillemots had come to their nesting quarters, thousands arriving on April 1st. Puffins on the 15th. On January 10th and 28th, 1884, on each day a Black Guillemot, _Uria grylle_, was shot from the island. The Little Auk, _Mergulus alle_, shot there on Dec. 29th; and on Feb. 4th and 5th, 1884, a great many were seen flying and swimming about the islands, more than had ever been seen before.

The Committee are again indebted to Professor Chr. Fr. Lütken, of the Universitetets Zoologiske Museum, Copenhagen, for a list of the birds killed or taken against the lantern of the lighthouse of Stevns, on the projecting part of Zealand, marking the limit between the Baltic and Oresund, in the spring and autumn of 1883. The list has been drawn up by Mr. Autander, a physician living in the neighbourhood of the lighthouse. In forwarding the list to Professor Lütken he states there has been in this year only a few nights in which any number of birds have been killed, in consequence of the sky being generally clear during the time of the migration.

Stevns Fyr (Lighthouse of Stevns ), 1883.

Night to--

April 6th. Saxicola œnanthe 2, male and female. " " Regulus cristatus 2 males. " " Erithacus rubecula 1 male. " 12th. Turdus viscivorus 2. " " T. merula 4. " " T. musicus 10. " " Alauda arvensis 6. " " Regulus cristatus 1. " " Saxicola œnanthe 4. " " Erithacus rubecula 2. " 13th. Scolopax rusticula 1 male. " " Columba palumbus 1. " " Sturnus vulgaris 1. " " Emberiza citrinella 1. " " Fringilla cœlebs 1. " " Saxicola œnanthe 1. " " Troglodytes parvulus 2. " " Alauda arvensis 2. " " Turdus musicus 8. " " Erithacus rubecula 15. Aug. 4th. Tringa alpina 1 male. " 26th. Jynx torquilla 1 male. Sept. 3rd. Sylvia trochilus 3. " " Luscinia phœnicurus 1 male. " " Muscicapa grisola 1 male. " " M. atricapilla 1 female. " " Columba ænas 1 female. " " Lanius collurio 1 young male. " 5th. Querquedula cracca 1 male. " " Motacilla alba 1 young male. " " Luscinia phœnicurus 6. " " Jynx torquilla 1. " " Sterna argentata 1. " " Erithacus suecicus 1. " " Sylvia schœnobænus 1. " " S. cinerea 2. " " S. hortensis 5. " " S. trochilus 2. " " Motacilla flava 1. " " Saxicola œnanthe 2. " " S. rubetra 1. " " Muscicapa atricapilla 4. " " †Locustella fluviatilis 1. " 6th. Podiceps minor 1 young male. Oct. 1st. Turdus musicus 2. " 4th. Sylvia atricapilla 1. " 11th. Turdus musicus 8. " " Sturnus vulgaris 1. " " Alauda arvensis 2. " " Sylvia rufa 2. " " Fringilla montifringilla 6. " " Emberiza schœniclus 11. " " Erithacus rubecula 25. " 20th. Fringilla montifringilla 1. " 26th. Coccothraustes vulgaris 1 male. Nov. 1st. Emberiza citrinella 1 male.

† Determined at the Museum; not before found in Denmark.

Since the completion of the Report a schedule has been received from the Leman and Ower L.V. moored forty-eight miles E.N.E. of Cromer, on the coast of Norfolk. From Feb. 11th to May 8th, Skylarks, Black Crows, Rooks, Wild Ducks, Starlings, and Goldcrests, are recorded as going in _westerly_ directions; a like anomalous direction was maintained during the same period at the Outer Dowsing, Newarp, Cockle, and Llyn Wells light-vessels by birds passing these stations. On May 8th a great many Goldcrests came from the south at 11 a.m., and then went _west_. Sept. 11th, great numbers of Goldcrests going from S.E. to W.; and on Oct. 28th with Redbreasts and Wrens from S. to N.W. Between Oct. 27th and Nov. 1st two hundred and eight birds were killed or taken on the vessel, including seven Grey Crows, Larks, Redbreasts, Wrens, Goldcrests, Starlings, Sparrows, Chaffinches, and two Woodcocks; these birds were travelling from S., S.E., and E. to N.W., N.N.W., and W.

Wings from Galloper L.V. by Mr. Gurney. Oct. 10th, Tree Sparrow and Chaffinch; 11th, Shore Lark; 13th, Great Tit; 27th, Chaffinch; 28th, Blackstart (young male or old female?), Thrush; 30th, Meadow Pipit; Nov. 3rd, Jack Snipe and Water Rail.

On April 9th, 1884, I received from Mr. Gurney the wing of a Dabchick (Little Grebe), which struck the lantern of the Hasbro' lighthouse at 11 p.m. on the night of March 30th. The force was so great that the bird was split from the neck along the entire length of body; and on April 8th a Hoopoe was killed against the North Hasbro' L.V., and the head, wings, and legs sent to Mr. Gurney by Mr. B. V. Darnell, mate of that vessel. A Hoopoe was also taken alive on April 10th, on board a Grimsby smack when one hundred miles E.N.E. of the Spurn, wind blowing strong from E., and had been for some days.

At Heligoland, on the night from Aug. 6th to 7th, S.E., a considerable flight of the Silver Gamma Moth, _Plusia gamma_, but nothing to be compared with the perfect snow-storms of this moth which passed in the autumn of 1882, all going west. On Oct. 11th, S.S.W., there was a considerable flight of _Hybernia defoliaria_, the Mottled Umber Moth, mixed with _Hybernia aurantiaria_, the scarce Umber; and also during the nights of the last week in October repeated flights of these moths. With reference to the great flight of _Plusia gamma_ in 1882, a notice of which appeared in our last Report, 1882, p. 47, Mr. Charles Williams, of the Hanois L.H., Guernsey, sends this note:--"Seeing Mr. Gätke's remarks in your Report about the Gamma Moth, I beg to say that they were here in June or July."

At the Tees L.V., Nov. 18th, "a large Seal came quite close to vessel, largest I've ever seen." As the Common Seal is well known at the mouth of the Tees, this probably may have been the Grey Seal, _Halichœrus gryphus_.

From Flamborough comes the announcement that, on Feb. 18th, that rare fish, the Ribbon or Oar-fish, _Regalecus banksii_, was found alive amongst the rocks on the south side near the Head; it measured thirteen feet three inches in length, sixteen inches in depth, and five and a half inches in thickness; it was supposed to have been brought in by the tremendous easterly swell of the last few days. It was purchased by Mr. Whittaker, of Scarborough, for thirty pounds.

General Remarks.

The observations taken on the East Coast of England in 1883 have been such as to generally confirm the conclusions arrived at in previous Report, having special reference to directions of flight and lines of migration.

The winter of 1883-84 has been exceptionally mild, and there has been an almost entire absence of severe frosts and lasting snow-storms; the prevailing winds in the autumn W. and S.W.--such as we know are specially favourable for the passage of the North Sea by great flights of birds, and their direct movement inland without alighting to rest or recruit themselves in the east coast districts. Our land stations report a great scarcity both of land and sea-birds; this has not, however, been the case at sea stations--that is, light-vessels situated off the coast at distances varying from five to fifty miles; here the stream of migration, so far from showing any abatement, has flown steadily on in a full tide, and, judging from the well-filled schedules that have been returned, there appears to have been a decided increase in the migrants passing these distant stations--due, perhaps, in some measure to increased interest and improved observations. Mr. Wm. Stock, of the Outer Dowsing L.V., remarks that he had never before seen so many birds past that station. The rush also over Heligoland during the autumn was enormous. Migration is more marked there than on the English coast; there was a great movement of various species passing forward on the 6th and 7th of August, and again on the 14th, and more pronounced still on the 21st and 22nd.

The first great rush of birds on the English coast was on Sept. 21st, and two following days; and a similar great movement or rush is indicated in Mr. Gätke's notes from his island outpost, as well as on our more distant light-ships. The prevailing winds on the North Sea on Sept. 21st were moderate north-easterly and easterly off the coasts of Denmark and Holland, blowing strong easterly on to our northern coasts north of the Humber, with southerly and south-westerly off the southeast coasts, causing cross-currents over the North sea. Whatever then was the impulse, atmospheric or otherwise, which induced such an immense rush of various birds at this time, it was one which acted alike, and with precisely the same impulse, on the Sea Eagle and tiny Goldcrest.

The second great rush was on the 12th and 13th of October, a similar movement being recorded at Heligoland. Then again from the 27th to the 31st, and somewhat less through the first week in November, the passage across Heligoland, as well as the rush on our east coast, was enormous. Speaking of the nights from the 27th to 31st inclusive, Mr. Gätke says, "This was the first move by the million; for four nights there has been a gigantic feathery tide running." During this time there were variable winds over the North Sea, but generally easterly and south-easterly on the Continent; but strong west winds and squalls prevailing generally on the 5th and 6th of November. With the outburst of some severe weather during the first week in December a considerable local movement is indicated along our coast from north to south, culminating in the enormous rush of Snow Buntings into Lincolnshire about the end of the first week in that month. A careful perusal of the Report will show how generally the rushes across Heligoland correlate with those observed on our east coast, although not always confined to the same species in both localities.

A somewhat remarkable and very anomalous movement of migrants is recorded in the schedules from some of the light-vessels off the Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts in the spring of 1883. In February, March, April, and May, birds passing the Leman and Ower, Llyn Wells, Outer Dowsing, Newarp, and Cockle light-vessels were as a rule coming from easterly and passing in westerly directions. Had this movement been noticed at one station only we might perhaps have been inclined to doubt the accuracy of the return, but the fact of five light-vessels having no communication with each other reporting the same circumstance proves the correctness of the observations. A summary of the spring quarter at these stations shows:--

Outer Dowsing L.V., March 31st to May 18th, Sparrows, Chaffinches, Wrens, Rooks, Larks, Tree Sparrows, Linnets, Titlarks, Bullfinches, from E., S.E., E. by S., and N.E. to W, N.W., W.N.W., and W.S.W.

Llyn Wells L.V., April 30th, various flocks of Crows to S.W.