The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 4/Ornithological notes from St. Andrews, N.B., during the Autumn and Winter of 1876

by William John Kerr

 

ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM ST. ANDREWS, N.B.,
DURING THE AUTUMN AND WINTER OF 1876.

By W.J. Kerr.

 

The ancient city of St. Andrews stands upon a small and somewhat rocky promontory on the eastern seaboard of Scotland, in front of which stretches an arm of the sea called St. Andrew's Bay, bounded on the south by that portion of the county of Fife terminating in Fife Ness (in the provincial dialect known as the "East Neuk o' Fife"), on the north by Forfarshire, terminating in the bold rocky headland called the "Red Head." To the north of the town is the small and dangerous harbour, and beyond, towards Fife Ness and the mouth of the Forth, a somewhat monotonous line of rocky coast scenery, nowhere attaining a sufficient altitude for the nesting of sea-birds. These low rocks, however, when uncovered at low tide are the favourite resort of such birds as the Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper and Rock Pipit. On the north the coast is of a perfectly different character, being flat and sandy, a natural line of sandhills preventing the sea from overflowing a low-lying cultivated country which stretches for some miles inland. Two miles to the north of the town the River Eden flows into St. Andrew's Bay. This sluggish stream forms at its mouth an estuary of some three miles in length and about a mile in width: at high tide it has the appearance of a salt-water loch and at low tide forms a considerable extent of mud-flat and mussel-scaup, peculiarly adapted to the requirements of waders, sea ducks, et id genus omne—an advantage, I am glad to say, which they seem fully to recognise and appreciate. Beyond the Eden to the Tay lies a bleak and wild moorland called "Tent's Muir," skirted on the seaside by a line of sandhills. This dreary uncultivated tract of country abounds in rushy pools and peat-bogs, the home of Snipe and Duck, where doubtless long ago the "boom" of the Bittern was often heard—a sound which, alas! no longer greets the wild-fowl shooter as he returns from the evening flight-shooting. Some interesting birds breed yearly on this moor, among which may be mentioned the Eider Duck, Shieldrake, Curlew, Golden Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, and a large colony of Terns. The locality therefore must be regarded as a most favourable one from which to study the habits of wild birds in their proper haunts. I will only add that such notes as I may contribute to 'The Zoologist' will be penned solely from my own observation.

On the 2nd September I shot a Greenshank up the Eden: a few of these birds are procured every autumn, but only en passant; none seem to remain through the winter. During this month the mud-flats at the mouth of the river present a very lively appearance, owing to the numerous flocks of various waders which for a time pay us a visit en route for more southern shores. Among others I noticed several flocks of Bartailed Godwits and Gray Plovers; one of the latter which I shot—evidently a young bird of the year—was so much marked on the back with a light shade of yellow that I took it for a young Golden Plover, and it was not until I got home that, by the presence of the hind toe, I detected the species. The first wild geese seen this autumn were observed flying over the links on September 26th.

Early in October a great number of Gannets were fishing in the bay, mostly young birds of the year, doubtless from the Bass Rock, which is but a short distance off. On the 7th a Red-breasted Merganser was shot. Enormous flocks of Plovers, both Green and Golden, breed on the hills inland, and frequent the mud-flats at low tide and the adjoining fields at high tide during the autumn, but leave us towards the end of October, a small number only remaining throughout the winter. Several Knots killed out of a large flock on the 16th retained traces of the summer plumage: in some specimens the whole of the breast was suffused with a light buff-colour; these are doubtless young birds of the year.

Returning home at dusk from shore-shooting on October 18th, two small waders rose close to me, and began wheeling round, uttering a plaintive but pleasing note with which I was not familiar, eventually settling some thirty yards off. One which I shot proved to be a Little Stint. This small Tringa seems to be somewhat rare on this coast; I have not noticed it before, and the gunners do not seem to know it. Probably it is a regular autumnal visitor, but from its small size is apt to be overlooked. Mr. Harvie Brown informs me he has procured specimens upon the Forth on several occasions.

On the 19th October I shot a Curlew Sandpiper out of a flock of Dunlins: as they flew past me a third at least of the birds appeared to be white-rumped, but although I dropped six of the number I only procured one Curlew Sandpiper. When snipe shooting on Tent's Muir on the 27th I saw a Marsh Harrier on the wing. The Snow Bunting was first seen on the 30th, when a single bird was procured.

During the first week of November about a dozen Turnstones were observed on the rocks below the town. These birds seem to be local on this part of the coast: I generally find them about the same spot, feeding on the rocks uncovered at low tide. The first fall of snow of any consequence was on the 9th, on which day a few Bramblings were seen amongst a flock of Chaffinches and Linnets; large flocks of Larks, Fieldfares and Redwings were flying south in continued succession all day. A flock of about two hundred wild geese passed over the town on the 29th; they have been very scarce in this neighbourhood during the past autumn and winter.

On the 3rd December I noticed several Skuas chasing the Gulls that were fishing on the Eden bar. Amongst the latter was a Kittiwake: this species, although it is numerous enough during the summer, and breeds in some numbers on the Island of May—a few miles distant, is rarely seen here in the winter.

When shooting along the coast with Mr. Harvie Brown on the 6th December, we noticed flying towards us over the bay at a great height an immense number of Wood Pigeons. The flock must have been about five miles in length, and was preceded by a closely compact advanced guard, which in itself must have consisted of some hundreds of birds, the remainder following in a long straggling line. We watched them for some time after they had passed us as they flew in a north-westerly direction, until lost to sight over the Forfarshire hills. When just seen they were some miles out at sea, the coast of Norway lying behind them, and we had no doubt that the flock we had observed was migrating from that country.

Amongst a lot of gulls seen flying along the coast on December 15th, I observed several immature specimens of Larus glaucus.

From the number of Short-eared Owls which were brought to a birdstuffer in the town for preservation during the month of December, it would seem as if this species had visited us in unusual numbers this winter.

During the last week of December three Whoopers visited the estuary of the Eden. I did not see them myself, but heard of them from several persons, one of whom, a famous wildfowl-shooter and good field ornithologist, informed me that a wild swan which passed within eighty yards, and which he shot at, whooped several times a note with which he is familiar from having often heard it in the Solway Firth.