LITTORAL LAND BIRDS.
_Littoral Land Birds—White-tailed Eagle—Peregrine
Falcon—Raven—Jackdaw—Hooded Crow—Chough—Rock Pipit—Martins—Rock
Dove—Stock Dove—Heron—Various other species._
Our survey of marine ornithology can scarcely be considered complete
without a brief allusion to the various land birds that reside upon the
coast. Many of these birds are, perhaps, most closely associated with
inland districts, but others are just as essentially marine. Some of
these species constantly reside by the sea, others are but found there
during the bright summer days, whilst others yet again appear during
autumn and winter only. Be the shore low sand or marshy slob-land,
buttressed by precipitous cliffs, or fringed with rocky beaches and open
downs, certain land birds form decided features in the scene, some of
them very widely and very generally dispersed. In some cases these
species show us how very readily birds can adapt themselves to their
surroundings, or reconcile themselves to circumstances, finding as
congenial a home on the seaboard as in the woods or fields, or even
cities of the interior.
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE.
Half a century ago this fine bird, the _Haliaetus albicilla_ of
ornithologists, was very generally distributed round our northern
coasts; in earlier years than that it bred in certain parts of England,
possibly on most of our highest headlands. Trap, gun, and poison have
done their sad work only too well, and now the White-tailed Eagle is
banished almost entirely from the land. The birds that still survive are
mostly confined to the Hebrides, to the wild waste of islands and sea
along the western seaboard of Scotland. Occasionally stray birds are
noticed, during autumn and winter, on the coast of England, but these
are almost invariably immature individuals on their migration south. The
White-tailed Eagle almost exclusively frequents maritime districts,
where it may be seen at a vast height soaring on never-tiring wing, or
standing on some rock pinnacle. It preys upon every bird or animal that
it is able to capture—newly-dropped lambs and fawns, hares, rabbits,
grouse, and waterfowl. But its favourite fare, perhaps, is
carrion—stranded fish and other garbage on the shore, dead sheep, and so
on. This Eagle makes its eyrie on some stupendous ocean cliff, and, as
the birds pair for life, the spot is occupied years in succession. The
nest is a huge pile of sticks and branches, lined with dry grass, wool,
and other soft material. The two eggs, laid in March or April, are
white. This Eagle may be distinguished from the Golden Eagle by its bare
tarsi. The note is a yelping or barking cry. Outside our limits, this
bird is found in the northern portions of Europe and Asia, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific.
PEREGRINE FALCON.
This bold and handsome bird, the _Falco peregrinus_ of naturalists, in
spite of much persecution, still survives on many of our rocky coasts,
becoming most abundant in Scotland and Ireland. The favourite resorts of
the Peregrine are precipitous cliffs, especially such as are constantly
washed by the sea. From these, it not only sallies in quest of
sea-birds, but flies inland to hunt for prey. The dash and courage of
the Peregrine are proverbial, few birds, on land or sea, escaping from
its fatal swoop. Near the coast, the food of this Falcon is largely
composed of Ducks, Plovers, Sandpipers, Pigeons, Partridges, sea fowl,
and rabbits. The flight of the Peregrine, when the bird is in the act of
chasing its prey, is rapid, and full of sudden turns and twists, but at
other times it is slow and deliberate. Witness the aerial gyrations of
this species above its nesting-place, when it may be seen soaring and
wheeling in lofty flight. Its note, heard principally in the vicinity of
the nest, is a loud, chattering cry. This Falcon probably pairs for
life, resorting year after year to one particular cliff to breed, even
though the nest be robbed repeatedly. No actual nest is made, the three
or four eggs, laid in April or early May, resting in some slight hollow
in the soil, on an overhanging ledge in the cliffs. They are
creamy-white in ground colour, thickly mottled, freckled, and clouded
with reddish-brown, brick-red, or orange-brown, of various shades. When
flushed from the nest, the female becomes very noisy, and is soon joined
by the male, both then flying about in angry alarm, dashing past the
face of the cliff from time to time. The Peregrine may be readily
distinguished from the other indigenous British Falcons by its superior
size. The upper parts are dark slate-gray, the head and moustachial
lines are black, the underparts are buffish-white, spotted on the throat
and breast, and barred on the remainder with blackish-brown. The
Peregrine is distributed over most parts of the world, but has been
divided into several well-marked forms or races. Two other Raptorial
birds may be met with on the coast—one, the Kestrel, commonly; and the
other, the Buzzard, locally.
RAVEN.
This species, the _Corvus corax_ of naturalists, still manages to
survive, and is of tolerably common occurrence in many localities.
Formerly it was commonly distributed over the inland districts, but now,
especially in England, it is most frequently seen along the coast. Here,
its favourite retreats and nesting-places are lofty cliffs. From these,
its headquarters, it roams far and wide, not only along the shore, but
far inland in quest of food. It is a fine sight to see this big sable
bird dash out from the cliffs, and fly upwards on powerful wing,
croaking and barking as it goes; or, better still, when male and female
toy with and buffet each other high in air, uttering a series of shrill
and, sometimes, by no means unmusical notes. The Raven feeds on almost
everything in the shape of flesh, carrion, as well as living creatures,
indiscriminately.
This bird is an early breeder. It pairs for life, and continues to
frequent one spot for nesting purposes year after year. Formerly many
Ravens made their nests in trees, but now the usual situation is some
ledge or crevice in a lofty precipice. The nest, added to or repaired
each season, is made of sticks, and lined with turf, moss, wool, fur,
and hair, and is generally a large, bulky structure. Five eggs are
usually laid, bluish-green, blotched and spotted with olive-brown and
gray. The Raven very closely resembles the Carrion Crow in colour, but
may readily be distinguished by its much larger size. This bird has a
very wide distribution over Europe, Northern Asia, and North America.
JACKDAW.
Of all the land birds that frequent the coast this species, the _Corvus
monedula_ of Linnæus and most other writers, is one of the most abundant
and best known. Colonies of Jackdaws are established on most of our
ocean cliffs, in some places, as at Bempton or Flamborough, mixed with
sea-fowl, in others apart by themselves. The birds frequent these
colonies all the year round, coming inland to feed at intervals each
day, returning at nightfall to rest, in noisy cackling crowds. Sometimes
the birds, where circumstances permit, may be seen feeding on the beach
or rocks below their haunts. This bird is more or less gregarious all
through the year, and some of its assemblages consist of several
hundreds of pairs. Its food is chiefly composed of worms, insects, and
grubs; but on the coast the bird picks up a variety of creatures from
the sands. There can be little doubt that the Jackdaw pairs for life.
The same breeding places, the same nests, are occupied year by year. It
is a later breeder than the Rook, the eggs being laid during April and
May. On the coast the nest is made in crevices and hollows in the
cliffs; in Tor Bay a small cave is frequented, the nests being built in
crannies near the roof. The nest is composed of sticks, turf, the stalks
of marine plants, and litter from the fields, lined with dry grass,
straws, fur, wool, and feathers. Some nests are much larger than others,
the peculiarities of the site determining the size of the structure to a
great extent. The four or five eggs—sometimes half-a-dozen—are pale
blue, spotted and blotched with olive-brown of different shades, and
gray. The Jackdaw has the general colour of the plumage black, shading
into gray on the nape and sides of the neck.
HOODED CROW.
This species, the _Corvus cornix_ of Linnæus and ornithologists
generally, is only known as a winter visitor to certain parts of
England, but is a common resident in Scotland and Ireland. From October
to March the Hooded, Gray, or Royston Crow, is a very familiar object on
the low-lying coasts of East Anglia. Its migrations to this district
from the Continent are extremely interesting. All day long the birds may
be seen coming in from over the sea in flocks and parties, crossing from
continental Europe along a due west course. Sometimes great flights of
this Crow pour across the North Sea—columns of migrating birds estimated
to be forty or more miles in breadth, and travelling at the enormous
speed of more than a hundred miles per hour! All the winter through
Hooded Crows frequent the salt-marshes or the grain fields close to the
sea. The food of the Hooded Crow is not known to differ from that of
allied species, the bird being practically omnivorous. There are few
instances known of this Crow breeding in England, but elsewhere in the
British Islands it nests freely. In many Scottish and Irish districts it
makes its nest on a sea-cliff. This resembles that of the Raven or the
Jackdaw, being made of sticks, twigs, turf, and stalks, lined with moss,
wool, and other soft materials. Five eggs are usually laid, green of
various shades in ground colour, spotted and blotched with olive-brown
and gray. The note of the Hooded Crow is a hoarse _kra_, modulated in
various ways.
CHOUGH.
For reasons which have been variously assigned, the present species, the
_Pyrrhocorax graculus_ of ornithologists, has now become one of the
rarest and most local of British birds. Once fairly common, not only in
certain inland localities, but on the sea-girt cliffs, many of its
colonies have now become deserted. It is a bird of the rock-bound coast,
easily recognized by its blue-black plumage and long, curved, red bill.
It is not necessary here to indicate the places where colonies still
exist. The Chough is a gregarious bird, and many of its habits resemble
those of the Jackdaw or the Starling. Its flight is often curiously
erratic, the bird, after rising a little way, dropping again with wings
closed. Upon the ground it runs quickly, its bright red legs and feet
being conspicuous. The note is very like that of the Jackdaw, a
chuckling or cackling _chow-chow_; hence the bird’s name of Chough,
which, by the way, is often used with the prefix “Cornish,” although the
bird is just as scarce in Cornwall as elsewhere now. The food of this
bird is chiefly composed of beetles, worms, grubs, and grain. The Chough
breeds in colonies, which resort to lofty ocean cliffs, especially such
where caves and fissures are plentiful. The nest is very similar to that
of the Jackdaw, and varies a good deal in size. Sticks, heather stems,
and dry stalks of plants form the outside; the cavity is lined with dry
grass, roots, wool, and similar soft material. From four to six eggs are
laid in May, creamy-white in ground colour, blotched and spotted with
various shades of brown and gray. When disturbed, the Choughs fly out of
their nest-holes, and behave generally in a very Jackdaw-like manner.
The Chough appears to be a sedentary species in all parts of its
distribution.
ROCK PIPIT.
In the present bird, the _Anthus obscurus_ of ornithologists, we have
one of the very few species of Passeres that are confined exclusively to
maritime haunts. During the breeding season the Rock Pipit frequents the
rock-bound coasts, often resorting to cliffs washed incessantly by the
waves, rock stacks some distance from shore, and precipitous islands;
but in winter it may be observed on the salt-marshes and stretches of
sand. It is an olive-brown little bird on the upper parts, streaked with
darker brown; the eye stripe and throat are nearly white; the remainder
of the under parts are sandy-buff, streaked with brown. During flight
the smoke-brown patch on the outer tail feathers is very conspicuous.
During autumn and winter Rock Pipits may generally be met with in
parties, sometimes even in small flocks, congregating on the rocky
beaches, the cliffs, and downs, or, at low water, searching amongst the
seaweed and shingle for food. They are by no means shy birds, but, if
alarmed, rise in scattered order, and, after flitting aimlessly about,
again pitch a little farther on, and resume their search. In spring the
Rock Pipit separates into pairs, the low-lying shores are deserted, and
the birds resort to their several breeding-places. In early spring the
simple song of the cock bird may be heard at intervals all the livelong
day, sometimes uttered as he perches on a big stone or clings to the
cliffs hundreds of feet above our heads, but more frequently as he
flutters in the air. The food of this Pipit is composed of insects, and
worms, and small seeds. Although small and unobtrusive, the Rock Pipit
is not easily overlooked. It flits before the observer in a wavering,
uncertain manner, uttering its plaintive _weet_ as it goes; then alights
a little further on, and waits our approach, when once more it rises,
_cheeping_, into the air, to alight far up the cliffs, or turn back to
seek its original haunt. Although this species pairs early, the nest is
seldom made before May. Few nests are more difficult to find than the
Rock Pipit’s, hidden as it is under stones or clods of earth, or wedged
into crevices of the rocks and cliffs. It is made of dry grass, moss,
scraps of dry seaweed, and lined either with horsehair or fine grass.
The four or five eggs are dull bluish-white in ground colour, freckled
with grayish or reddish-brown, and sometimes streaked with
blackish-brown. Two broods are often reared in the season, the eggs for
the latter being laid in July. Many pairs of birds may be found nesting
on a short stretch of coast, but no gregarious instincts are manifested
at this season. The Rock Pipit has a very restricted geographical
distribution, being confined to the European coasts of the Atlantic,
including our islands and the Faröes.
MARTINS.
Both the species of British Martins resort to many localities on the
coast to breed. To the wall-like cliffs the House Martin, _Chelidon
urbica_, often attaches its mud-built cradle. I know of large colonies
of this Martin on the sea cliffs of Devonshire, where the nests are
placed in rows, or stuck here and there in every sheltered niche. In the
same manner the Sand Martin, _Cotyle riparia_, bores its tunnels into
the soft earth at the summit of the sea cliffs, or into the solid banks
of earth that in some districts take the place of cliffs. It is not
necessary to enter here into details of the economy of these Martins.
Both engaging little species add to the life and animation of the coast,
as they fly to and fro and in and out of their nests. Then during the
period of migration many Martins pass along the seaboard, and sometimes
the observer may be fortunate enough to witness their actual arrival
from over the sea, or their final departure across its lonely expanse.
ROCK DOVE.
We here have another exclusively marine species, the _Columba livia_ of
Linnæus and most modern writers, confined to such portions of the coast
as are precipitous and full of caves and hollows. The Rock Dove may be
readily distinguished from all the other British species of Pigeons by
its white lower back and rump, and strongly-barred wings. As may
naturally be inferred from the cliff-haunting propensities of this Dove,
it is practically absent from the low-lying eastern coasts of England,
local on the south coast, but becomes much commoner further north and
west, where the cliffs are rugged and lofty, and full of those wave-worn
hollows and fissures that are the Rock Dove’s delight. As most readers
may be aware, this species is the original stock from which the numerous
races of dovecot Pigeon have descended. Curiously enough, this bird is
inseparably attached to the coast; it is a rock-haunting species, and
one which rarely or never perches in trees. Usually our first
acquaintance with the Rock Dove is made as the startled bird dashes out
of the cliffs, with rattling wings and impetuous haste. It is more or
less gregarious all the year round, and may frequently be seen in flocks
on the fields near its native cliffs. Its food is composed of grain and
seeds of all kinds, and the buds and shoots of plants. Its flight is
rapid and well sustained. I was told by the natives of St. Kilda that
the Rock Doves frequenting the islands cross the sea every day—a
distance of seventy miles—to feed on the Hebrides, and there can be
little or no doubt about this, for St. Kilda contains little suitable
food for this grain-loving bird. Its note is the familiar _coo_.
The Rock Dove is an early breeder, congregating in colonies on such
cliffs as afford it the necessary shelter. Wherever possible the nests
are made in caves; where these are wanting the birds scatter themselves
about the cliffs, and place their nests in any convenient fissure or
cleft. The bird pairs for life, and yearly resorts to the same breeding
stations, some of the caves gaining a local reputation in this respect.
The nest is placed on some ledge or in a cranny, and consists of a
little dry grass, twigs, roots, or stems of plants, arranged in a flat
plate-like form. The two eggs are pure white. This species may be found
breeding all the summer through, and rears two, if not more, broods each
season. The Rock Dove is found on almost all parts of the rocky coasts
of Europe and the outlying islands.
STOCK DOVE.
This Dove, the _Columba ænas_ of naturalists, is very often confused
with the preceding species, from which, however, it may readily be
distinguished by having the rump uniform in colour with the back, and
the wing bars broken up into patches. Mistaken identity is also rendered
even more easy by the bird frequenting the coast, in just the same
localities we associate with the Rock Dove. As most readers are aware,
the Stock Dove is a dweller in wooded inland districts, as well as on
the coast. I have, however, often remarked that the two species rarely
inhabit the same parts of the coast, and that the Stock Dove shows
preference for cliffs that are more or less densely clothed with ivy,
stunted trees, and thickets. In its flight, shyness, method of searching
for food, and habits generally, when frequenting littoral districts, the
Stock Dove very closely resembles the Rock Dove. The note of the Stock
Dove, heard most incessantly during spring and summer is, however,
different, and may be described as a grunting _coo-oo-up_. At all times
this Dove is socially inclined, and becomes, to a great extent,
gregarious during winter; its numbers being increased during that season
by migrants from Scandinavia. Its food is chiefly obtained from grain
lands, clover fields, and stubbles, and consists chiefly of grain and
seeds, berries, and various shoots.
The breeding season of the Stock Dove begins in April, and extends over
the entire summer into the succeeding autumn. When resorting to maritime
cliffs, the nest is often placed amongst ivy, in a rabbit burrow, or in
a crevice of the cliffs, and is a mere platform of twigs, roots, or
straws. In many cases a nest is dispensed with altogether. The two eggs
are creamy-white, smooth, and polished. In inland localities a hole in a
tree, or the deserted drey of a squirrel, or old nest of a Crow or
Magpie, is usually selected. Several broods are reared in the season.
This Dove is one of those species that is rapidly extending its area of
distribution in our islands; the trend of its advance, however, being
always northerly. Outside our limits the Stock Dove is found over most
parts of Europe and North-West Africa, eastwards to the Caucasus and
Asia Minor.
HERON.
Although this bird, the _Ardea cinerea_ of most writers, is usually
associated with fresh and inland waters, it is frequently enough met
with along the coast, especially about estuaries, salt-marshes, and such
portions of the shore where pools are left by the tide amongst the rocks
at low water. Moreover, it sometimes establishes its colonies on marine
cliffs, or in woods adjoining the sea. Although of recent years
considerably reduced in numbers, the Heron still justifies the prefix of
“Common,” which custom generally attaches to it. There are few places
round the English coast known to me where the Heron forms such a
distinctive feature in the scene as on the wide estuary of the Exe, or,
but not so abundant, on that of the Teign, a little lower down the
Devonshire coast. Sometimes a score or more Herons may be counted here
together, standing like big blue sentinels on the marshes, wading in the
tidal pools, or flying in their slow deliberate way, above the flats.
Many of these Herons breed in the valley of the Dart. Odd Herons may
also be flushed here and there along more rock-bound coasts. The flight
of this species is very imposing, witnessed to perfection as the bird
passes to or from its feeding or fishing grounds, and its nightly
retreat in some distant wood; or perhaps, better still, when mobbed by
some Gull, or mobbing one in return. The Heron feeds largely on fishes,
either those from salt- or fresh-water, together with frogs, water
insects, and even small mammals. The Heron fishing is a perfect picture
of still life, an ornament to the shore. As a rule, the Heron is a
remarkably silent bird; he fishes, like all good anglers, in absolute
quietness; but when passing through the air, on his frequent journeys,
he often utters a short, deep trumpet-like note, startling and
strange-sounding enough when heard from the evening sky.
The Heron breeds locally throughout the British Islands, its favourite
nesting places being in woods and plantations, although a ledge on a
cliff, or a ruin, is sometimes selected. In many places, where the Heron
is sufficiently abundant, it breeds in colonies, like Rooks, and
resorts, year by year, to the same localities. The nest is usually a
huge pile or platform of sticks, the cavity containing the eggs
sometimes being lined with turf and moss. Some nests are much larger
than others, the accumulation of years, and most are whitewashed with
the birds’ droppings. The eggs—three to five in number—are
greenish-blue, and chalky in texture. When disturbed at their nests the
big birds rise, crashing through the branches into the air, and sail
about above the place in anxiety until left in peace. They utter few or
no notes of any kind. When the young are nearly full grown, they may be
seen climbing about the trees, using their beak to assist them in
passing from one part of the tree to another. The Heron is a bird of
very wide distribution, and is found throughout Europe, Africa, Asia,
and even Australia.
In conclusion, we may remark that there are many other land birds found
upon certain parts of the coast from time to time, especially during the
two great periods of migration in spring and in autumn. The above short
list must not be regarded in any way as being exhaustive. It contains,
however, the most constantly characteristic species. Many small
Passerine birds frequent the shore—especially on our eastern and
southern seaboard, but they are arrivals from other lands, and often
passing south or north, as the case may be, to yet more distant haunts.
Among the more prominent of these, we may mention the Goldcrest, which
often abounds on the coasts of the German Ocean; the Skylark and the
Starling, that come each year in countless hosts; the various Finches
and Thrushes, that visit us each season to pass the winter in our land.
Then, more locally, there is the Snow Bunting and the Shore Lark—Arctic
birds that visit us more or less commonly. The Common Bunting, too, is a
common resident on many parts of the littoral area. Of other species we
may mention the Short-eared Owl, the Sparrow-Hawk, the Woodcock—migrants
from over the sea, tarrying but a short time to rest near the shore,
before speeding inland, or yet further south. The Rook obtains much of
its food from the sands in littoral districts; the Starling often
congregates in vast flocks on the saltings. I have even seen the Rook
take its food from the surface of the sea, precisely in the same manner
as a Gull.
_Migration on the Coast_
[Illustration: MIGRATION TIME. (On the Friskney foreshore.) Chapter
viii.]