September 12th, thirteen to W. Tetney, October 18th, E. to N.E.,
first flights. Languard L.H., October 31st, large flock to W. at 3
P.M. _Squatarola helvetica_, Grey Plover.--Yarmouth, May, first and
second weeks, several in summer dress September 22d, first autumn
arrivals. Great Cotes, May 18th, 1886, about 200 along the foreshore,
the majority in full summer dress. March 10th, 1887, some young of the
previous year seen on the muds to-day had not lost the golden-drop
plumage of the autumn. _Ægialitis cantiana_, Kentish Plover.--Yarmouth.
April 29th, two seen in a flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover; June
10th, one seen. Languard L.H., November 27th, 7.50 A.M., two pitched
on beach; left at noon. _Ægialitis hiaticula_, Ringed Plover.--Great
Cotes, May 18th, 1886, great numbers on flats. Languard L.H., November
16th, thousands of Dotterel and Oxbirds together pitched on beach at
high water. Swin Middle L.V., November 13th, 2.50 P.M., W., thousands
of "Stone Runners" first seen to E., then to W. (see p. 48); 18th,
the same, a very large flight in sight from 3.55 to 4.20 going S.E.
to S.W.; also on December 28th and January 13th. Great Cotes, August
19th, early night, sultry and dull, several Kinged Plover passing
over. Trent Lock, Notts, August 19th, same at 9 P.M. [F. B. W.].
_Eudromias morinellus_, Dotterel.--Great Cotes, May 4th and 5th, trip
of eight. Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire, September, first week, six shot;
Whitby, 6th, four; Seaton-Carew, 10th, one shot. _Vanellus vulgaris_,
Lapwing.--Outer Dowsing L.V., October 6th, great rush with others;
Leman and Ower L.V., 8th, many during night to W.; Inner Dowsing L.V.,
17th, one. Languard L.H., November 8th, hundreds at 2 P.M.; 26th, 3
A.M. till daylight, with many others. Great Cotes, December 13th, about
12,000 in one field twenty-four hours before the frost commencing on
the 14th; Whitby, 24th, all morning in small flocks, twenty to forty,
coming in from sea. Redcar, January 21st, 1887, S.W., strong; and 22d,
W.N.W, many with larks coming in from sea and going W. Strepsilas
interpres, Turnstone.--Yarmouth, May 14th, some; Great Cotes, 18th, a
dozen in various plumage. Yarmouth, September 8th, some. _Hæmatopus
ostralegus_, Oystercatcher.--Redcar, August 5th to end of month and to
September 7th, many. Leman and Ower L.V., June 18th, one killed.
Scolopacidæ, _Recurvirostra avocetta_, Avocet.--Redcar, August 5th,
12.10 P.M., one (I am sure of species.--T. H. N.). _Phalaropus
fulicarius_, Grey Phalarope.--October 14th, one picked up at
Bassingham, near Lincoln. _Scolopax rusticula_, Woodcock.--Spring:
Longstone L.H., April 3d, 1.30 P.M., S. by E., one Woodcock to E.
Autumn: Farn L.H., October 4th, one; Flambro', 5th, some. "First
flight" at Coquet Island, Whitby, Spurn, and Norfolk coast on 6th.
At Whitby L.H., one struck at 1.30 A.M., probably marking the time
of arrival of the flight on the East Coast; wind south-easterly,
overcast, misty. The second or "great flight," from October 16th to
25th, from the Farn Islands to the Norfolk coast, birds dropping
here and there in a desultory fashion, and nowhere plentiful, wind
E. and E.S.E.; on October 15th to 16th a gale from E.S.E. A few on
October 28th, 29th, and 30th, and scattered occurrences up to November
15th. The last recorded as coming in from the sea was at Tees L.V.,
December 18th, going W.; wind W.S.W. _Gallinago cœlestis_, Common
Snipe.--Longstone L.H., August 8th, one; 23d, one. Tetney, August 12th,
flight. Whitby L.H., October 4th, 4 A.M., one killed. Longstone L.H.,
October 4th, 1 A.M., one heard in flight. Yarmouth, October 30th,
flight; Coquet, November 18th, 8 A.M., S.S.E., four. _G. gallinula_,
Jacksnipe.--Longstone snipe.--Longstone L.H., April 25th, 10.30
A.M., one.[9] Autumn: At the Farn Island stations and Lincolnshire
coast from October 2d to 6th, wind generally south-easterly. _Tringa
alpina_, Dunlin.--Spring, 1886: Yarmouth, April 29th, enormous
numbers on north beach, some Ringed Plover amongst them. Trent Lock,
May 9th, 11 A.M., twenty to thirty Black-breasted Dunlin; Great
Cotes, 18th, great numbers in summer plumage. _T. subarquata_,
Pigmy Curlew.--Yarmouth, July 31st, one in full summer plumage. _T.
striata_, Purple Sandpiper.--Tarn L.H., September 22d, some on rocks;
October 31st, flock of twenty. Yarmouth, November 17th, two shot.
_T. canutus_, Knot.--Spring, 1886: Yarmouth, April 13th, Knot and
Dunlin on Breydon in semi-summer dress. Longstone L.H., July 16th,
S.E., fine, one. Redcar, August 19th to end of month, a few seen at
sea. Tetney, February 24th, 1887, out of six shot to-day, one had the
lower parts mottled with faded brick red, the summer plumage of the
previous year having not been altogether cast off. _Calidris arenaria_,
Sanderling.--Yarmouth, May 14th, considerable arrival with others;
some seen on the 9th. _Totanus ochropus_, Green Sandpiper.--Longstone
L.H., July 29th, one seen (very rare here). Grainsby, Lincolnshire
(Waithe-beck), July 27th, first; August 23d, large arrival; end of
March, all have left. _T. glareola_, Wood Sandpiper.--Cley, Norfolk,
August 13th. _T. calidris_, Redshank.--Longstone L.H., July 29th.
Farn L.H., September 4th and 9th, many. Tees L.V., October 30th,
twenty; always common on the Lincolnshire coast and at Spurn in the
autumn. _T. fuscus_, Spotted Redshank.--Breydon, Norfolk, August 15th,
one. _T. canescens_, Greenshank.--Yarmouth, April 28th, 1886, two;
May 14th, some; and on return, November 27th. _Limosa lapponica_,
Bar-tailed Godwit.--Yarmouth, April 12th, 1886, first; 14th, some;
May 14th, great arrival. Autumn: September 22d, first. Redcar, July
19th, 12.30 P.M., seven or eight to E. _L. ægocephala_, Black-tailed
Godwit.--September 12th, one at Breydon, Norfolk. _Numenius phæopus_,
Whimbrel.--Spring: April 26th, Breydon, Yarmouth, in small number. May
14th, large arrival with others. Autumn: Redcar, June 19th, first
heard passing over; last on September 7th. Great Cotes, July 26th,
first heard. Tees L.V., August 30th, twenty; October 30th, very large
flock of Curlew, Whimbrel, some Oyster-catchers and Redshanks; January
4th, 1887, large flocks both of Whimbrel and Curlew. _N. arquata_,
Curlew.--Leman and Ower L.V., May 10th, 1886, 3 A.M., five, one killed.
Great Cotes, August 19th, first young Curlew in marsh; 20th, hundreds
of Curlew in the marsh for a few hours. I was told by one observer he
had seen thousands. Redcar, September 6th, at sea flock to W. Yarmouth,
September, early, very numerous; Redcar, 19th, flight, with others,
overhead, 10 to 11 P.M., foggy and dark. Tees L.V., October 30th, very
large flight; Hasbro' L.V., 30th, 7 P.M. to midnight, many round light,
none struck. Winterton, October 27th, 8.30 P.M., flight to W. Tees
L.V., January 4th, 1887, large flocks.
[Footnote 9: Mr Thomas O. Hall, of the Longstone L.H., speaks of the
great scarcity of birds this season, and thinks they must have crossed
further south, the prevailing winds having been E.N.E. and N.E.,
crushing down the migration, and giving it a southerly direction.]
The migration of waders was observed inland by their nocturnal cries.
Great Cotes, August, night of 19th, Ringed Plover. Trent Lock, Notts,
by Mr E. B. Whitlock, August 19th, Ringed Plover; 21st, Sandpipers and
others; 24th, Curlew. At Grainsby, by Mr Haigh. August 29th, waders;
and by Professor Newton, of Cambridge, July 21st to 22d and 26th to
27th, about midnight.
Sterninæ.--_Sterna macrura_, Arctic Tern.--Farn L.H., May 4th, 1886, 5
A.M., first appearance; September 2d, left breeding haunts. Yarmouth,
May 14th, some along coast. _S. fluviatilis_, Common Tern.--Trent Lock,
Notts, May 11th, one; 13th, three. Tees L.V., July 25th, August 10th
and 14th, great numbers of Terns at sea. Redcar, August 19th to end,
great many at sea. _S. minuta_, Little Tern.--Spurn, April 5th, first
seen at breeding-place. Yarmouth, April 28th, two seen with Black
Tern; May 12th, two. Rye, Sussex, May 4th and 5th, first Lesser Tern.
_S. cantiaca_, Sandwich Tern.--Farn L.H., April 28th, 5 A.M., nine
seen--left nesting quarters on September 2d. _Hydrochelidon nigra_,
Black Tern.--Yarmouth, April 26th, 1886, flight from S.W. to N.E., wind
E.; 27th and 28th, some to N.E.; May 14th, some. Another observer,
April 28th, twenty in flock to N.E. Cley, Norfolk, September 1st, young
Black Tern to S.
Larinæ.--_Larus minutus_, Lesser Gull.--Redcar, June 14th, W.,
squally, four seen off pier; November, one. _L. argentatus_, Herring
Gull.--Whitby L.H., February 15th, many at daybreak to breeding haunts;
July 6th, first young on wing; August 27th, all left cliffs for sea.
Leman and Ower L.V., October 2d, great numbers in ship channel, to
S. at night and back in morning. Swin L.V., December 23d and 25th,
hundreds and thousands near vessel, fishing for sprats. _L. glaucus_,
Glaucous Gull.--Farn L.H., December 28th, one to N. _Rissa tridactyla_,
Kittiwake.--Farn L.H., November 13th and 24th, hundreds of Gulls and
Kittiwakes fishing round island. Grimsby, January 7th, 1887, saw
nine, young and old, brought in by fishing smack, shot at sea. Gulls
generally.--Flambro' L.H., February 25th and March 4th, 1886, in great
numbers off headland; June 1st, Gulls and Guillemots all day fishing
off head in large numbers. Llyn Wells L.V., August 9th, several flocks
came in from E.; wind W. Leman and Ower L.V., August 22d, immense
numbers about ship, two came on board. Languard L.H., November 5th,
December 26th, and January 23d, 1887, large flocks came in with a
southerly gale. Yarmouth, October 15th, gale from S., great numbers
to south. Cromer, October 17th, great many to N.; wind N.N.E. The
Mediterranean Black-headed Gull, _Larus melanocephalus_, was shot on
Breydon Water, Yarmouth, on December 26th, 1886.
Stercorariinæ.--_S. catarrhactes_, Common Skua.--Redcar, October 14th,
shot at sea. _S. pomatorhinus_ and _crepidatus_, Tees L.V., July 25th,
two Skua. Longstone L.H., September 3d, several Richardson's and
"Common" Skua seen. Redcar, October 8th, Richardson's Skua shot at sea,
Pomatorhine seen at the same time; 14th, three Richardson's Skua (one
adult, two immature) shot at sea, one Pomatorhine seen, and several
others of both reported out at sea by fishermen; 15th, several of both
going N.W., wind S.E., strong. Flamborough, Mr Bailey, writing under
date of October 13th (_Naturalist_, 1886, p. 340), says: "Since October
2d, more sea birds have frequented our coast than I ever remember. Manx
Shearwaters, Cinereous Shearwaters, and hundreds of Skuas and Gannets,
also Guillemots and Razorbills in their winter plumage. Little Gulls,
Terns, one Black Guillemot (immature), and thousands of Kittiwakes
feeding in the early morning, several I saw having herrings' tails
hanging out of their bills. The birds covered a large area north and
south of the headland."
Procellariidæ.--_Procellaria pelagica._--Coquet L.H., September 28th,
11 P.M., S.W. (6), one on lantern. Dudgeon L.V., October 28th, one
killed; 30th, same. Hasbro' L.V., 30th, 7 P.M. to midnight, many; six
killed on deck. Cockle L.V., 31st, five about vessel during night.
Llyn Wells L.V., November 7th, 7 P.M. to midnight, about light.
_Puffinus?_--Redcar, August 18th, 6 A.M., ten Shearwaters to N. Many,
both Manx and Great Shearwater, off Flambro', early in October.
Alcidæ, _Lomvia troile_, Common Guillemot.--Longstone L.H. March 4th,
first to breeding haunts, left again on 16th, returned for good first
week in April. Flambro', February 25th, both Guillemot and Gulls in
large numbers on cliffs. _U. grylle_, Black Guillemot.--Farn L.H.,
May 11th, one; also one, an immature bird, shot off Flambro' early
in October. Spurn L.H., October 26th, E.N.E., a Common Guillemot was
killed against the lantern. _Fratercula arctica_, Puffin.--Longstone
L.H., March 15th, first, the bulk returning on April 11th and 12th.
Colymbidæ.--Very many Great Northern and Red-throated Divers reported
from various parts of the East Coast between September 1st and the
end of the year; only one Black-throated. Diver, recognised as such,
Cromer, November 20th, seen off pier at early morning.
Podicipitidæ.--Cley, Norfolk, Red-necked Grebe (_P. griseigena_), on
August 10th; Little Grebe (_P. fluviatilis_). Spurn L.H., October
7th, 2 A.M., S.S.E., struck and killed. Leman and Ower L.V., December
29th, N.E., one killed at midnight. A considerable immigration into
North-East Lincolnshire about the middle of November.
Miscellaneous Notes.
Tees 5 Buoy L.V., April 30th, 1886.--Wind E., light. A great many
bumble-bees and a few wasps during day, flying to N.W.; several
remained on board. January 15th, 1887.--One seal.
Hartlepool, November.--A fine specimen of the Opah (_Lampris luna_)
brought in.
Coquet Island L.H., September 12th, W. (5).--Hundreds of small Flies
all night in lantern.
Outer Dowsing L.V., October 6th.--11 A.M. to 2 P.M., calm and fog. Mr
W. Stock writes: "A very large quantity of birds flew over, and a great
many flying about the vessel--Starlings, Redwings, Larks, Mountain
Sparrows, Golden-Crested Wrens, six Robins, four Redpoles, Chaffinches,
and Pewits, about 300 mixed Crows and Rooks--altogether about 600 or
more. Birds leaving the vessel appear to go about W. and W.S.W. When
the fog cleared and the sun broke through, the Crows were seen passing
to W. in three nights from 11 till 11.45 A.M. At noon they came back
to the vessel in a body, and remained till 1 P.M. Caught one Redwing
Thrush that was struck by a Crow and fell on deck bleeding. Several
small birds struck by Crows and fell in water. Two Red-winged Thrushes
and one Chaffinch caught on board."
Cockle L.V., September 14th.--11 A.M., calm. Great quantities of small
bluish-coloured Flies; left at 1 P.M.
Languard L.V., September.--"The Musquitoes," Mr Owen Boyle writes,
"have been very numerous throughout the months of July, August, and
September. They have been very troublesome; many people had swelled
hands, puffed faces, and even black eyes, from their stings." October
4th.--Lady-birds in large numbers on the breakwater at noon, and up to
sunset. At 3 P.M. they were to be seen in thousands.
Swin Middle L.V.--Mr S. Pender, with reference to the migration of
the Ringed Plover, writes under date of October 30th: "Concerning
the birds which, I think, must be the 'stone-runners,' and their
manœuvres, it was very amusing to watch them. The birds were first
seen in an eastward direction, and I should think thousands, for when
in close contact they had the appearance of a small black cloud; at
other times in a long line and half circle, and so on. After they
had finished their exercise they separated into two parties, one
passing to the westward at no great distance from the vessel, and the
other disappeared in the direction where first seen. Sometimes they
would rise so high in the air, that they could not be seen without a
telescope, at other times apparently touching the water."
Hanois L.H., October 31st, 8 P.M.--A quantity of Silver Gamma Moths;
also a few brown ones, but smaller than the Gamma.
Mr Philip W. Munn, writing from Nieder Kaufungen, near Cassel, Germany,
under date of March 30th, 1886, says:
"The weather began to break up on Saturday week, and all the snow
had disappeared by the following Monday morning. No sooner did the
weather begin to break, and even before, than the birds began to rush
northwards to their breeding quarters.
"On the 25th of February, quantities of Skylarks flew overhead in small
parties in a northerly direction, the wind being S.E. This species
stopped here on the 5th of March, and have now taken the place of the
Crested Larks, most of which have left.
"On March 12th, I saw a Grey Wagtail; and a Hawfinch arrived and stayed
here for a few days, and then departed.
"On the 16th, a large flock of Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, and Rooks (the
Books have been very rare during the winter) flew over towards the
N.E.; the passing over lasted ten minutes. On many other days later
have I also seen small parties of '_Corvidæ_' hurrying N.E.
"On March 18th, I saw a Black-Headed Bunting; on the 19th, White and
Pied Wagtails arrived. Now the Pied have left, and quantities of the
White remain and have begun to build.
"On the 23d, an extraordinary migration of Cranes began, and is going
on at intervals now; they are usually flying in a N. or N.E. direction,
but yesterday I saw three flying S.E., which has much confused me. On
the 23d, a flock settled in the fields near here for a short time. Soon
after this flock had gone, no less than nine flights, of from forty to
one hundred birds in each flock, flew over at intervals.
"Curiously enough Robins and Thrushes are only summer migrants here;
they arrived on the 24th.
"I heard the Chiffchaff on March 25th; and on the same day was another
great migration of Cranes.
"On October 15th was the great rush of migratory birds, parties of
various sorts continually passing the whole day to the S.W."
List of Wings sent in from Lighthouses and Light-vessels, East Coast of
England.
Station. Date. Species.
1886.
Leman and Ower L.V. Jan. 23. Snow Bunting.
" " April 25. Wheatear.
" May 13. Whinchat.
" " " 23. Wheatear.
" " " 24. Sedge Warbler.
" " " 23. Turtle Dove.
" " June 1. Wheatear.
" " " 18. Oystercatcher.
Shipwash L.V. May 18. Two Grey Plover.
" " " 18. Yellow Hammer.
" " " 18. Wheatear.
Swin Middle L.V. Sept. 26. Cuckoo, young.
Nore L.V. Oct. 4. Redwing.
Spurn L.H. " 8. Little Grebe, bird sent.
" " " 26. Guillemot.
Shipwash L.V. " 22. Quail.
" " " 22. Goldcrest.
Llyn Wells L.V. Nov. 1. Two Water Rails.
Coquet L.H. " 17. Long-tailed Duck.
" " " 4. Water Rail.
" " Oct. 5. Sedge Warbler.
Hasbro' L.V. Aug. 27. Red-backed Shrike.
" " Sept. 3. Rock Pipit.
" " " 19. Redstart.
" " Oct. 31. Stormy Petrel.
" " Nov. 12. Fieldfare.
Spurn L.V. " 1. Water Rail.
South Sand Head L.V. Oct. 5, 6. Chaffinch.
Leman and Ower L.V. Dec. 29. Little Grebe.
1887.
" " Jan. 18. Tree Sparrow.
" " " 24. Rock Pipit.
" " " 25. Robin.
Shipwash L.V. Feb. 13. Knot.
" " April 12. Woodcock.
General Remarks.
As in 1885, the main body of immigrants crossed in two great rushes,
corresponding with the first and third weeks in October. This was
considerably earlier than the chief general movements of the preceding
year. The meteorological conditions of the first period were easterly
and south-easterly winds, pressure system cyclonic, accompanied by much
fog and thick weather. During the second period the pressure system
again mainly cyclonic, but with very variable winds.
As usual Rooks, Daws, Hooded Crows, Starlings, and Larks, occupy a
considerable portion of the schedules. Chaffinches also have crossed in
extraordinary numbers. They are always numerous, but this autumn their
migration has been in considerable excess of previous years. With these
exceptions, however, there has been a singular and very marked falling
off in some species whose breeding range lies chiefly in the north of
Europe. This is specially noticeable in the small arrivals recorded
of Fieldfares, Redwings, Ring Ouzels, Bramblings, Snow Buntings,
Short-eared Owls, and Woodcocks. Taken altogether, the migratory record
for 1886 is a very poor one.
No wild Swans are recorded, the few entries in the schedules having
undoubtedly reference to escapes from parks and private waters. Geese
and Ducks have appeared quite as numerously as in previous years.
The arrivals of rare and occasional visitants have been few, those of
chief interest being three Harlequin Ducks (_Cosmonetta histrionica_)
at the Farn Islands; the Mediterranean Black-headed Gull (_Larus
melanocephalus_), shot on Breydon Water, near Yarmouth; a Purple Heron
(_Ardea purpurea_), shot on Oulton Broad, near Lowestoft; and the
reputed occurrences of the Snowy Owl (_Nyctea scandiaca_) close to
the Languard L.H., Suffolk. Of much interest also is the arrival of
Shorelarks (_Otocorys alpestris_) on the coast between the Farn Islands
and Yarmouth.
The continued yearly observations show that on the East Coast of
England the principal points of arrival for migrants are the mouths of
the chief rivers, also those parts of the coast which present either a
flat and open shore, or cliffs of low altitude. Considerable stretches
of coast, which, as a rule, have a high cliff line, make poor returns,
or in some cases no schedules are sent in, indicating a great scarcity
of birds.
It is well known that migrants under certain meteorological conditions
travel at a great height, when it may fairly be presumed that the
physical features of the earth's surface, the trend of mountain chains,
or the course of great river systems, have little to do in determining
their line, which is from point to point, and without deviation; yet
in the vast majority of cases, where migration is visible, birds
travel at a comparatively low altitude, so that when passing mountain
chains, and even hills of no great altitude, they invariably choose
the lines of the valleys, following depressions which, more or less,
correspond to the general direction of their course. In the Cheviots
I have observed, for two years in succession, that the streams of
small migrants from Scotland follow those main valleys which run
nearest north and south, sticking closely to the lowest levels, where
the brushwood and bracken beds offer greater privacy and security than
the bare fell sides. Birds also, when migrating, follow from choice
low-lying tracks of land and river courses in preference to elevated
plateau and the summit line of mountain ranges.
Bearing these facts in mind, we find that there is a very well-marked
line, both of entry and return, at the Farn Islands, on the coast of
Northumberland. Scarcely second to this is the mouth of the Tees,
both in spring and autumn. The North Yorkshire coast, from south of
Redcar to Flamborough, including the north side of the headland, is
comparatively barren, few birds appearing to come in between these
points. Bridlington Bay and Holderness to Spurn and Lincolnshire, as
far as Gibraltar Point, give perhaps the best returns of any on the
East Coast. The north of Norfolk is poor, but there are indications in
the heavy returns annually sent from the Llyn Wells, Dudgeon, Leman
and Ower, and Happisburgh light-vessels, that a closely focused stream
pours along the coast from E. to W., to pass inland by the estuary
of the Wash and the river systems of the Nene and Welland into the
centre of England, and thence probably following the line of the Avon,
the north coast of the Severn, and Bristol Channel, and eventually
striking across the Irish Sea, to enter Ireland near the Tuskar Rock,
off the Wexford coast. This route is undoubtedly the great and main
thoroughfare for birds in transit across England to Ireland in the
autumn. Large numbers of migrants also which pass inland from the
coasts of Holderness and Lincolnshire may eventually join in with the
great western highway by the line of the Trent, avoiding altogether the
mountainous districts of Wales. These remarks will refer chiefly to the
Passerine birds, the _Accipitres_, _Limicolæ_, and _Gaviæ_, also Geese
and Ducks, when crossing land, travelling as a rule very high.
To return once more to the East Coast, the Norfolk seaboard between
Cromer and Yarmouth and the corresponding light-vessels show a large
annual immigration, but the returns are less pronounced between
Yarmouth and Orfordness. The coast of Essex, with the northern side of
the Thames estuary, is fairly good; but the opposite coast of Kent,
from the North to the South Forelands, including the four Goodwin and
the Varne light-vessels, is a barren and pre-eminently uninteresting
district for arrivals, both as regards numbers and species, the chief
migrants seen being such as are following the coast to the south.