to north from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and to end of month between the same
hours; also first week in April between same hours; Oct. 20th to 24th,
flocks flying north, old and young, but mostly old birds. Dudgeon L.V.,
Oct. 8th, eight off light-ship all day. Orfordness, Dec. 6th to 7th,
"flocks to W. along shore."
Ardeidæ.--Common Heron, _Ardea cinerea_, Linn., Aug. 6th, 7 p.m., five
to N. Hanois L.H., Sept. 17th, two to W., twenty to S.W. Bittern,
_Botaurus stellaris_ (Linn.), Hornsea, Dec. 22nd.
Anatidæ, Geese.--Farne Inner L.H., Feb. 9th, twenty-one Brent Geese to
E.S.E. Kilnsea, Spurn, June 5th, eight large Grey Geese to S., flying
very low. Longstone L.H., Oct. 15th, nine Wild Geese; one, wounded
against lantern and subsequently shot, was a Barnacle Goose, _Bernicla
leucopsis_. Farne Inner, Nov. 13th, three Canada Geese shot from flock
of eleven on one of the outlying islands; large flocks of Grey Geese
going south along coast early in December.
Swans.--5 Buoy Tees L.V., Aug. 5th, six young Swans in Tees. Newarp
L.V., Oct. 26th, three Swans to W. Spurn L.H., Nov. 28th, 9 a.m., ten
passed close to lantern. Dudgeon L.V., 24th, fifty all white close past
ship to W. Teesmouth, 24th, 9 a.m., six.
Ducks.--5 Buoy Tees L.V., April 25th, twenty-five Sheldrake, _Tadorna
cornuta_ (Gmel.), seen in Tees. Inner Farne L.H., May 2nd, one solitary
King Eider, _S. spectabilis_ (Linn.), first time seen this season.
Longstone L.H., Sept. 4th, Scaup Duck flying N. Large flights of
various Ducks seen on east coast at many stations in October to end of
the year; direction of flight, however, not sufficiently persistent
to permit any deductions; many doubtless were flocks changing their
feeding-grounds.
Columbidæ.--Spurn, May 24th, two Turtle Doves, _Turtur communis_,
Selby. Gull L.V., July 9th, 7.30 p.m., twenty Wood Pigeons, _C.
palumbus_, Linn., to N.W. Spurn, Sept. 7th, Turtle Dove, young. Farne
Inner L.H., Dec. 20th, 10 a.m., two Wood Pigeons to E.N.E.
Rallidæ.--Inner Farne L.H., Sept. 12th, Landrail, _Crex pratensis_,
Bechst., killed against lantern during night. Spurn, 18th, one shot.
Crane, _Grus communis_, Bechst.--Heligoland, April 12th, one, not
captured.
Little Bustard, _Otis tetrax_, Linn.--Heligoland, one shot, first
occasion.
Charadriadæ.--Spurn, May 30th, Turnstone, _Strepsilas interpres_
(Linn.), small flock in full summer plumage. Spurn, first week in
June, Dotterel, _C. morinellus_, four seen. The Golden Plover, _C.
pluvialis_, Linn., was first seen at Farne Inner L.H., Aug. 17th; small
flocks on island; on the same day also, in Great Cotes marshes, in
summer plumage. Yarmouth, Sept. 10th, four, partially in summer dress.
Grey Plover, _S. helvetica_ (Linn.), first at Teesmouth, Aug. 10th,
two. Spurn, Sept. 7th, first seen; on 16th, three large flocks, many
members of each in full summer plumage. 5 Buoy Tees L.V., Oct. 15th and
16th, Grey Plover with Curlew, two to three hundred in flock. Whitby
L.H., Nov. 14th, one hundred or more. Immense flocks of Lapwings,
_Vanellus vulgaris_, Bechst., at Farne Islands, Sept. 25th and 26th,
and subsequently at many other stations during the winter. Kentish
Plover, _Æ. cantiana_ (Lath.), was obtained near Blakeney about Sept.
26th. Heligoland, young Golden Plover commenced passing, Aug. 9th;
during July and up to the end of the month, every night, great numbers
of _Numenius_, _Totanus_, _Tringa_, and _C. hiaticula_, &c., crossed;
on Aug. 25th, great numbers of Golden Plovers; on the 22nd, S.W., great
many Dotterel, _C. morinellus_ (Linn.); again Sept. 4th, great many
Dotterel, 11 p.m., passing overhead E. to W., one flight taking ten
minutes to pass.
Scolopacidæ.--Red-necked Phalarope, _Phalaropus hyperboreus_ (Linn.),
Breydon, Norfolk, Sept. 4th, one shot, two seen. Common Snipe,
_Gallinago cælestis_ (Frenzel), end of second week in March, 1882, N.
E. Lincolnshire, returning in some numbers. Heligoland, March 2nd, one;
April 12th, S.S.W., a few. Autumn: Farne Inner L.H., Sept. 14th, Snipe
to W. Orfordness, Oct. 13th, 8 p.m., one killed. Flamborough L.H., Nov.
16th, two struck and killed, strong S.E. gale. Gull L.V., Nov. 3rd,
about one hundred to W. Jack Snipe, _G. gallinula_ (Linn.), Longstone
L.H., Sept. 21st, E.N.E. to N.E., one killed against S.E. side lantern.
Farne Inner L.H., Oct. 12th, two. Woodcock, _Scolopax rusticula_,
Linn., Spurn, Sept. 18th, first Woodcock; the great flight took place
on the night of Oct. 12th, wind E., strong, fog and drizzling rain; on
the morning of 13th at Farne Inner, 5 Buoy Tees L.V.,[8] Teesmouth,
Coquet, Whitby, Flamborough, Spurn, Yarmouth, and Orfordness, in
some numbers; specially so at Farne Inner, Teesmouth, Flamborough,
and Spurn. Second flight, Teesmouth, Nov. 13th; and at Whitby, 11th;
Farne, Dec. 14th; and Coquet, 14th. Woodcocks occurred at Heligoland
on Oct. 26th, a few; 29th, twenty to thirty shot; Nov. 11th, some;
and 21st and 30th, some. Dunlin, _Tringa alpina_, Linn., Great Cotes,
Aug. 16th, night warm, close, thunder-storm, very dark, heavy rain
from S.E., flocks of waders passing over. Dunlin and Kinged Plover.
Curlew Sandpiper, _T. subarquata_ (Güld.), Spurn, Sept. 14th, a few.
Ruff, _Machetes pugnax_, Linn., Seaton Carew, Nov. 2nd, two Ruffs and
a Reeve. Knot, _T. canutus_, Linn., Teesmouth, Aug. 11th, one; 15th,
three. Great Cotes, 27th, flock of about two hundred. Spurn, Sept.
6th, several; plentiful by middle of month. Spurn L.H., Nov. 15th, 3
a.m., many round lantern. Hasbro' L.V., 16th, 11 a.m., large flocks
very high E. to W.S.W. Sanderling, _Calidris arenaria_ (Linn.)., Spurn,
May 31st, flocks, some in summer and others in transition plumage.
Lincolnshire coast, Aug. 10th, flocks, thirty to forty, old and young
together, near Somercotes. Green Sandpiper, _Totanus ochropus_ (Linn.),
Breydon, Aug. 15th, plentiful. Common Redshank, _T. calidris_ (Linn.),
scarce. Spotted Redshank, _T. fuscus_ (Linn.), Breydon, Aug. 15th,
one, immature, shot. Greenshank, _T. cancescens_ (Gmel.), Breydon,
Aug. 15th, plentiful. Red-breasted Snipe, _Macrorhamphus griseus_
(Gmel.), Aug. 15th, one shot at Cleethorpes, near Grimsby, a mature
bird in moult from the knot-like plumage of summer to the grey of
winter. Bar-tailed Godwit, _Limosa lapponica_ (Linn.), Teesmouth, Aug.
13th, 4.30 a.m., five. Black-tailed Godwit, _L. ægocephala_ (Linn.),
Aug. 24th, four seen at Breydon, two in summer plumage. Whimbrel,
_Numenius phæopus_ (Linn.), 5 Buoy, Tees L.V., April 23rd, one N.W. to
S.E. Great Cotes, July 27th, Whimbrel passing, first of the season.
Teesmouth, Aug. 1st to 7th, two or three small flocks about; and large
flocks to E. early on morning of 16th. Common Curlew, _N. arquata_
(Linn.), Heligoland, April 12th, from 10 p.m. to daylight, hundreds of
thousands of _Tringa_, _Numenius_, _Hæmatopus_, and the like flying
over. Lincolnshire coast, Aug. 10th, flocks of eight to ten young, on
shore near Somercotes. South Sand Head L.V., Sept. 17th, twelve, the
first seen, to N.W. 5 Buoy Tees L.V., Oct. 15th and 16th, flocks of two
to three hundred passing. Whitby L.H., Oct. 15th, large flock round
lantern for several hours, thick and dark. Cromer L.H., Oct. 13th,
large flock round lantern. Spurn L.H., Nov. 15th, 3 a.m., many round
lantern with Knots. Flamboro' L.H., 16th, many round lantern; and on
Dec. 13th, all night with Larks.
[Footnote 8: At this light-vessel a single bird passed, going west, at
daybreak.]
Sterninæ, Terns.--Inner Farne L.H., April 20th, Sandwich Tern, _Sterna
cantiaca_, Gmel., heard calling for first time. Longstone L.H., May
3rd, first Sandwich Tern seen on island. Inner Farne L.H., May 2nd,
Arctic Tern, _Sterna macrura_, Naum., seen first time; 4th, both
together, flying round their breeding-stations. Inner Farne, Aug.
28th, most of Arctic and Sandwich Terns left their breeding-quarters.
Longstone and Inner Farne, Sept. 6th and 7th, both species finally left
island.
Larinæ, Gulls.--Heligoland, Jan. 17th, Greater Black-backed Gull,
_Larus marinus_, Linn., hundreds, all old birds; and on 31st, the same,
nearly without exception old birds; Kittiwake, _Rissa tridactyla_
(Linn.), same. Whitby, Feb. 12th, Herring Gulls came to the cliffs to
breed, in 1881; it was on the 14th. Longstone, March 15th, Gulls coming
to nesting-quarters. Whitby, July 16th, young first seen on wing; Sept.
7th, old and young left. Great Cotes, Sept. 28th, Humber-flats covered
with various Gulls. Whitby, Oct. 14th, large numbers seen at sea, going
S. Spurn, in December, Iceland Gull, _L. leucopterus_, Faber, mature
and immature, obtained.
Stercorariinæ, Skuas.--Farne Inner, Sept. 26th, Skuas seen in
attendance on Black-headed Gulls. Teesmouth (Redcar), Oct. 20th, five
Skuas to E. Nov. 1st, Longstone, one. Have been remarkably scarce on
the coast.
Procellariidæ, Petrels.--Coquet L.H., Oct. 14th, 7 p.m., one Stormy
Petrel caught against glass and set at liberty again. Languard, 11th,
one, 6.15 p.m. Spurn, 29th, one at edge of water.
Alcidæ, Auks.--Common Guillemot, _Lomvia troile_, (Linn.), Longstone
L.H., Jan. 3rd, 1883, Guillemots flying in from sea to island;
March 15th, 1882, assembling for breeding on islands; May 15th,
Puffins assembling on islands; Aug. 25th, Guillemots and Puffins
have left their nesting-quarters on rocks; Oct. 22nd, Little Auk,
_Mergulus alba_, Linn., one seen; Nov. 1st, two young Puffins seen.
Inner Farne, April 1st, multitudes of Guillemots flying up to their
nesting-quarters; Nov. 18th, several Puffins and Guillemots off
islands. Flamborough, Guillemots great many last week in January,
towards headland; Feb. 5th, great numbers going N. all morning; Dec.
27th, first seen off coast, are passing and repassing daily in great
numbers.
Colymbidæ, Divers.--Inner Farne, Sept. 6th, Great Northern Diver, _C.
glacialis_, Linn., three to N.; Dec, first week, Red-throated Diver,
_C. septentrionalis_, Linn., Black-throated Diver, _C. arcticus_,
Linn., and Great Northern Diver, all three about the islands this week;
on 5th, fourteen Great Northern Divers to W. Longstone, Nov. 14th, two
young Great Northern Divers off island fishing. Teesmouth, Oct. 31st,
flock of Great Northern Divers passed at noon.
Podicipitidæ, Grebes.--October, Sclavonian Grebe, _Podiceps auritus_,
Linn., adult in winter plumage shot in a timber pond at Hull;
Red-necked Grebe, _P. griseigena_ (Bodd.), and Sclavonian Grebe, on
Humber in October and November.
The Committee are indebted to Professor Chr. Fr. Lütken, of the
Universitetets Zoologiske Museum, Copenhagen, for a list of the
birds killed against the lantern of the lighthouse of Stevns, on the
projecting part of Zealand, marking the limit between the Baltic
and the Grönsund Belt, in the autumn of 1882. Professor Lütken, in
forwarding the list, remarked that his late lamented predecessor.
Professor Reinhardt, made arrangements with a physician, Mr. Antander,
residing at the small town of Storeheddinge, seven Danish miles south
of Copenhagen, in the neighbourhood of Stevns Klint and the lighthouse
of Stevns, for forwarding any birds found killed to the museum, with
the following result:--
Stevns Fyr, Zealand, Denmark, 1882.
April 14th. _Turdus musicus_ 2.
" " _Saxicola œnanthe_ 2 males.
" 15th. _Sylvia rubecula_ 1 male.
" " _Emberiza miliaria_ 1.
" 19th. _Numenius arquatus_ 1.*
" " _Turdus musicus_ 1.
" " _Saxicola œnanthe_ 3 males and 8 females.
" " _Turdus iliacus_ 1.
" 24th. _Emberiza passerina_ 1 caught alive.
" 29th. _Turdus musicus_ 1.
May 9th. _Sylvia schœnobænus_ 1.
" 11th. _Luscinia philomela_ 1 alive.†
" " _Emberiza hortulana_ 1 " †
" 12th. _Muscicapa atricapilla_ 1.
" 18th. _Sylvia cinerea_ 2.
" " _S. phragmitis_ 1.
" " _S. rufa_ 1.
" " _S. trochilus_ 1.
Sept. 21st. _Turdus torquatus_ 1.
" " _Sylvia rubecula_ 5.
" " _S. curruca_ 1.
" " _Ruticilla phœnicurus_ 2.
Oct. 10th. _Sylvia rubecula_ 1.
" 21st. _Turdus iliacus_ 2.
" " _Alauda arvensis_ 4.
" " _Regulus cristatus_ 2.
" " _Emberiza schœniclus_ 1.
* Is often seen swarming around the lighthouse at the time of its
migration--six or seven on this night flew against the panes without
being killed, and two others were caught alive. About forty Redbreasts
and Wheatears were caught on the same night, but set at liberty again
in the morning. On clear moonlight nights nothing at all is caught or
found.
† According to Mr. Antander were not sent to museum.
Mr. Gätke sends the following notes of an extraordinary migration of
the Silver Gamma Moth, _Plusia gamma_, across Heligoland in August,
1882:--
On Aug. 13th, at 1 a.m. till 4, thousands on thousands passed the
Heligoland lighthouse, travelling E. to W. From 11 p.m. on the 15th,
till 3 a.m. on 16th, millions, like a snow-storm, all belonging to
the same species, passed forward in the same direction. Again, on the
18th, from 11 p.m. till 3 a.m. on the 19th, thousands on thousands
were observed under the same circumstances. Some scores caught for
identification were all in most perfect plumage; no fading or abrasion.
General Remarks.
The observations taken along the E. coast of England in the spring and
autumn of 1882 have been such as to confirm the conclusions arrived at
in previous reports.
As in 1880 and 1881, the line of autumn migration has been a broad
stream from E. to W., or from points S. of E. to N. of W., covering
the whole of the E. coast. In 1880 a considerable proportion of the
immigrants crossed at the more southern stations; in 1881 they covered
the whole of the E. coast in tolerably equal proportions; but in 1882
the stations N. of the Humber show a marked preponderance of arrivals.
Although migration has extended over an unusually long period,
commencing in July and continued with but slight intermission
throughout the autumn and into the following year to the end of
January, yet the great mass of immigrants arrived on our E. coast in
October, and a large proportion of these during the first fortnight
in the month. From Oct. 6th to 8th, inclusive, and again from the
12th to the 15th there was, night and day, an enormous rush, under
circumstances of wind and weather, which observation has shown are most
opposed to a favourable passage. During these periods birds arrived in
an exhausted condition, and we have reasons for supposing, from the
number reported as alighting on fishing-boats and vessels in the North
Sea, that the loss must have been very considerable; large flights
also are recorded as having appeared round the lanterns of lighthouses
and light-vessels during the night migration. From the 6th to the
9th, inclusive, strong E. winds blew over the North Sea, with fog and
drizzling rain, and from the night of the 12 to 17th very similar
weather prevailed. Mr. W. Littlewood, of the Galloper L.V., moored on
the bank of that name forty miles S.E. of Orfordness, reports that on
the night of Oct. 6th, Larks, Starlings, Mountain Sparrows, Titmice,
Common Wrens, Redbreasts, Chaffinches and Plover were picked up on the
deck, and that it is calculated five to six hundred struck the rigging
and fell overboard; a large proportion of these were Larks. Thousands
of birds were flying round the lantern from 11.30 p.m. to 4.45 a.m.,
their white breasts, as they dashed to and fro in the circle of light,
having the appearance of a heavy fall of snow. This was repeated on the
8th and 12th, and on the night of the 13th 160 were picked up on deck,
including Larks, Starlings, Thrushes and two Redbreasts; it was thought
one thousand struck and went overboard into the sea. It is only on dark
rainy nights, snow or fog, that these casualties occur; when the nights
are light, or any stars visible, the birds appear to give the lanterns
a wide berth.
Unquestionably the principal feature of the autumn migrations has been
the enormous arrival of the little Gold-crested Wren. The migrations
appear to have covered not only the E. coast of England, but to have
extended southward to the Channel Islands and northward to the Faroes
(see Report East Coast of Scotland, Harvie Brown). On the E. coast of
England they are recorded at no less than twenty-one stations, from
the Farne Islands to the Hanois L.H., Guernsey. The earliest notice
is Aug. 6th, the latest Nov. 5th, or ninety-two days; during the same
period enormous numbers crossed Heligoland, more especially in October,
and quite up to the end of the month. On the night from the 28th to
29th Mr. Gätke remarks, "We have had a perfect storm of Goldcrests,
poor little souls, perching on the ledges of the window-panes of the
lighthouse, preening their feathers in the glare of the lamps. On the
29th all the island swarmed with them, filling the gardens and over all
the cliff,--hundreds of thousands; by 9 a.m. most of them had passed on
again."
Not less remarkable was the great flight of the Common Jay past and
over that island early in October, on the 6th, 7th, and 8th; thousands
on thousands without interruption passing on overhead like Crows, N.
and S. of the island too, multitudes like a continual stream, all
going E. to W. in a strong south-easterly gale. It would have been an
interesting fact if we had been able to correlate this migration of
Jays with any visible arrival on our English coast, but in none of
our returns is any mention made of the Jay. Mr. Matthew Bailey, of
Flamborough, told me that on one evening early in October (the exact
date he was not able to give) he had observed at dusk large flights
of birds, about the size of Jackdaws, coming to land, and was struck
with the good headway they seemed to make against a strong wind. It
was too dark, however, to make out what they were. Subsequently I have
received numerous notices speaking of the extraordinary number of Jays
seen during the winter in our English woodlands. This seems especially
to have been the case south of a line drawn from Flamborough Head to
Portland Bill, in Dorset.[9]
[Footnote 9: Common Jay. Additions and unusual numbers observed at
Arden, on Loch Lomond side, subsequently reported by James Lumsden,
Esq., is the only report of Jays I have got in Scotland.--J. A. H. B.]
Extraordinary numbers of the Common Hedge Sparrow (_Accentor
modularis_)--"the dunnock" of the English schoolboy, the "blue Janet"
of Scotland--passed over Heligoland in October, more especially on
the 6th, 7th, and 8th; and it is curious that on the 8th of the same
month they swarmed in astonishing numbers, both at Spurn and in N.E.
Lincolnshire.
The Woodcock arrived on the east coast on the night of Oct. 12th, or
early morning of the 13th; wind E., strong, fog, and drizzling rain. On
the morning of the 13th they are recorded from nine stations, covering
250 miles of coast-line, from the Farne Islands to Orfordness.[10]
It is fair to suppose that this, the "great flight" of the season,
did not start from the same locality, but from various parts of the
opposite coast of Europe,--places widely apart. Both previous and
subsequent to their passage the weather had been much of the same
character over the North Sea. Why they should start simultaneously on
this special evening, and how they managed to "keep touch," to use
a military term, during a passage of several hundred miles across a
stormy sea, in fog and drizzling rain, so as to arrive about the same
time at their Tel-el-Kebir on our English sand-hills, is one of those
points in the phenomena of migration which will probably take some time
and more extended observations, especially on the opposite coast-line,
to clear up.
[Footnote 10: I Also "great flight" same time, Isle of May. East coast
of Scotland report.]
An interesting entry in one of the returned schedules, that from
the Inner Dowsing L.V., placed seventeen miles E. of Sutton, on the
Lincolnshire coast, is that of two Hawfinches, which came on board on
the evening of Oct. 20th, a strong S.S.W. wind blowing, and remaining
all night, left again at daybreak, their course being from S.E. to
N.W., the course followed by a large proportion of our immigrants.
As far as we are aware this is the first notice of Hawfinches having
been seen at sea. At Heligoland, Mr. Gätke says the species is a
well-known customer, never in any numbers, but every spring and fall
some, betraying itself forthwith by its peculiar call-note, so out of
all proportion with its colossal beak.
There are some birds occurring on our east coast year by year with
tolerable regularity, which, during the autumn of 1882, have been
remarkable for their scarcity. This has been the case with all the
large raptorial birds, and especially with the Short-eared Owl, and
Common Linnet and Twite. Their absence on migration has also been
remarked upon in Heligoland. The Short-eared Owl also appears to have
been specially scarce on the east coast of Scotland. (See East Coast of
Scotland Report.)
Our returns show very clearly that the spring lines of migration,
followed by birds leaving our shores, are identically the same as those
followed in the autumn, but of course in the reverse direction from W.
and N.W. to E. and S.E.