The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 6/The Birds of the Moy Estuary and the Surrounding District

by Robert Warren

 

THE ZOOLOGIST

 

THIRD SERIES.

 

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THE BIRDS OF THE MOY ESTUARY
and the surrounding district.

By Robert Warren.

 

The district to which the following notes relate comprises those parts of the Counties of Mayo and Sligo which are situated within a ten mile radius of Moyne Abbey, which is taken as the centre of the district. The list unfortunately is somewhat imperfect, as, from the difficulty of obtaining authentic and reliable information, I have been obliged to depend almost entirely upon my own observations; and in order to have the list correct, if not long, I have hesitated to insert the name of any bird that I have not identified myself, unless confident of the correctness of the information supplied to me concerning it.

 

Order Raptores.

Sea Eagle, Haliaëtus albicilla.—This fine bird, some few years ago, was to be seen nearly every winter frequenting the sand-hills of Bartragh and Enniscrone, feeding on rabbits and on dead fish cast ashore by the surf. In December, 1851, a pair of Sea Eagles haunted the sand-hills of Bartragh for several days, one of which I shot as it was resting after a heavy meal of rabbit and hake: it was a fine bird in the second year's plumage. The second bird remained about the sand-hills for some time after, but I think got off unharmed; nor would I have shot the bird mentioned but that I wanted to set it up as a specimen. I used frequently to see or hear of Eagles being about Bartragh up to 1856; but since then I have neither seen nor heard of a bird visiting this locality, and their continued absence I attribute to traps and poison, for of late years it has become the custom to poison the mountain shootings as soon as the season is over, and as the Sea Eagle will eat any kind of carrion it readily falls a victim to the poisoned meat and traps of the keeper.

Greenland Falcon, Falco candicans.—Very rare, and has only once been obtained in the district. A fine adult female was shot by a country boy near Killala, on the 3rd April, 1875, and very fortunately came into the hands of Lieut.-Col. Knox, of Castlerea, who presented it to his brother, Mr. A.E. Knox, of Sussex, the wellknown author of that delightful work, 'Ornithological Rambles in Sussex.' In the winter of 1868, a fine adult male of this species was shot near Belmullet, about forty miles from here, and is now in the collection of the Dublin Natural History Society.

Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus.—Resident, and breeds on the high cliffs on certain parts of the coast. It appears to be more numerous in winter; perhaps some addition to its numbers by migratory birds may take place at that season. Lapwings in this locality appear to form a favourite part of its food, and afford some most exciting flights, far finer than any to be witnessed with trained falcons. A short time back I saw the finish of a splendid flight: the poor Lapwing was quite worn out, and in order to avoid the last stoop of the Falcon dropped into the water, but the Falcon was not to be beaten, and, poising herself for a moment, gently lowered her feet and, lifting the Lapwing from the water, bore it away.

Merlin, Falco æsalon.—Resident, but oftenest seen during winter. It nests annually amongst the heather in the neighbourhood of Lough Eask, in the Ox Mountains, Co. Sligo.

Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus.—Very common and resident, breeding in the old ruins throughout the country and in suitable rocky cliffs around the coast.

Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus.—Very common throughout the wooded districts. The young are exceedingly ravenous. In the summer of 1857 a pair built a nest and hatched four young in a larch tree close to the dwelling-house here, and being so near I used to visit the nest almost daily, but on one occasion when looking into it, a short time before the young were fledged, I saw only three birds. On making a closer search, however, I saw a clean-picked leg of the missing one at the bottom of the nest, and the other leg, in a similar condition, lying at the fool of the tree, plainly showing that it had been devoured by its fellows. A pair of Sparrowhawks build every year in the plantations about Moyview, and invariably construct a fresh nest each season, neither repairing their old nests nor those of Magpies or other birds, and I remarked the same habit with the Sparrowhawks building in the finely timbered demesnes of Coolmore and Ballybricken, in the County Cork. Those nests that I discovered before the females began to sit had a well-formed cup-shaped cavity in the centre, with nicely rounded edges; but after the young were hatched the edges got flattened out, and by the time they were fledged the nest had become a loose, slovenly-looking platform, exactly like the ruins of an old deserted nest of Crow or Magpie.

Buzzard, Buteo vulgaris.—Rare in this district, and has only twice come under my notice, at Moyview, flying about the plantations. During the past winter, however, I saw a fine bird of this species on the sands near Bartragh, and again on the Enniscrone sand-hills, beating about over the rabbit-burrows. This bird I have every reason to think must have been the one that was afterwards killed by some boys at night in a plantation at Scurmore; as they were bird-catching with a light they met the bird roosting on a low tree, and fancied it was a young Eagle.

Marsh Harrier, Circus æruginosus.—I cannot with certainty say I have met with this bird, but when snipe-shooting I have occasionally seen birds which may have been of this species.

Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus.—Rare in this part of the country. I have only seen one old male. It is known to sportsmen about here as the "Sea-gull Hawk," from its colour.

Long-eared Owl, Strix otus.—Common and resident in the wooded districts. A pair rear their young in some old deserted nest (generally a Magpie's) in the plantations here every season, and I have on several occasions sent young birds to the Dublin Zoological Gardens. During the breeding season the males may be heard nearly every evening amongst the trees uttering their very peculiar call-notes, which, when heard at night proceeding from gloomy woods, gives one the idea of some unfortunate person moaning in the extremity of distress. It may be imitated by the words "hoo—hoo—hoo" repeated very slowly; the h quite soft—almost a silent one. My attention was first directed to this moaning call of the owls in January, 1864, by some of the servants rushing into the sitting-room one evening, about eight o'clock, to say that some one was dying in the wood near the cattle-house, for they heard the dying moans. I went out to listen, and I certainly felt puzzled as to what animal produced the sound. At first I thought that some of the cattle might be choking from becoming entangled in the neck-chains, but on going to the cattle-house I found everything quite still and quiet, and the moans coming from the trees, showed that it was some bird; but as I had never read any description of the cry of the male Long-eared Owl in the breeding season, I could not imagine what bird it was. However, the night being moonlight I followed the sound, and when I got near the tree I saw a dark bird glide silently away, giving a slight flap of its wings when just leaving its perch, the noise made by the flap being scarcely audible. I thus followed the bird about the place for over an hour, but could never see it in the act of calling, as the only sight I could get of it was on its leaving one tree for another when disturbed; so I had to return without being satisfied as to its identity, though at the same time I was quite confident it was same kind of owl. For several nights I followed the bird with my gun, but was unsuccessful in obtaining a shot at it, though after a time I began to be almost certain that it was the Long-eared Owl; but, of course, unless I shot the bird or distinctly saw it in the act of calling, I could not be certain of its identity. This tantalizing state of things continued until the succeeding month of March, when one evening I was riding home from Ballina, and just before dark, as I was passing a grove, I heard the call from some trees close to the road. I immediately stopped, and closely watching the trees in a few moments had the satisfaction of seeing a fine Long-eared Owl sitting on the branch of a larch tree in the very act of "moaning"; and about a month later I had a good view of another, close to the house here, also calling. The young when half fledged, before they leave the nest, and for several weeks after they leave it, may be heard calling incessantly for food, and their loud plaintive cries readily attract attention to their retreat. The female has a very queer yelping kind of alarm-note when the young are approached, quite different from the moaning of the male bird or the cry of the young.

Short-eared Owl, Strix brachyotus.—A regular winter visitor to the heaths and low grounds, and is sometimes found in small flocks by snipe-shooters.

White Owl, Strix flammea.—Resident and common in the numerous old ruins throughout the country.

Snowy Owl, Strix nyctea.—A rare winter visitor, or perhaps should rather be classed as a straggler, having occurred ouly twice in this district. The first that appeared was shot by the late Mr. T. Palmer, in his demesne, Summer Hill, near Killala, on the 26th January, 1856; and the second was seen in November, 1860, by Mr. Palmer's son, at the same place, but he was unable to secure it. The specimen obtained by Mr. Palmer is now in the possession of Colonel E. Knox, of Castlerea, near Killala.

 

Order Insessores.

Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa grisola.—A regular summer visitant to this district, but late in making its appearance. Two pairs build in the garden and trees near the house here every season. In 1872 it was first seen on the 31st May, and observed building on the 11th June. In 1873, first seen on the 15th May, and hatching on the 1st June. In 1875, first seen 17th May. In 1876, 14th May.

Pied Flycatcher, Muscicapa atricapilla.—The first recorded visit of this bird to Ireland was noticed by me in 'The Zoologist' for June, 1875 (p. 4498). It was an adult female bird and appeared here on the 18th April of that year. My attention was attracted by seeing it catching insects, and it appeared to me so strange that a Flycatcher should be seen so early in the season that I watched it attentively for some time. Observing that it had a smaller head and closer-looking plumage than the Spotted Flycatcher, as well as a faint appearance of white on the wing, I began to doubt its being of that species; so the following day, to make certain, I shot it, and then found it to be a female Pied Flycatcher. It is preserved in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society, Kildare Street, Dublin.

Dipper, Cinclus aquaticus.—Resident wherever there are suitable rocky streams.

Missel Thrush, Turdus viscivorus.—Resident and common, and has become more numerous here of late years. When seen in parks in September these birds are often mistaken for Fieldfares.

Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris.—A regular winter visitant.

Song Thrush, Turdus musicus.—Common, but not so numerous as in the County Cork, nor do I see much addition to their numbers at the time of the autumnal migration, probably because the line of migration is more to the eastward.

Blackbird, Turdus merula.—Very common, and more numerous than the Thrush, which it outnumbers in about the same proportions as the Thrush did the Blackbird in that part of the South of Ireland where I formerly resided—i.e. at Castle Warren, Co. Cork.

Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus.—A summer visitor to suitable localities in the mountain district. I have seen it near Lough Talt, in the Ox Mountains, County Sligo.

Redwing, Turdus iliacus.—A regular winter visitant.

Hedgesparrow, Accentor modularis.—Common.

Redbreast, Erythaca rubecula.—Common.

Stonechat, Saxicola rubicola.—Common and resident.

Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra.—A summer visitor in very limited numbers to particular localities, and as it seldom leaves its favourite feeding-grounds, is but seldom noticed by the casual observer. I never met with it on the Sligo side of the Moy, but on the Mayo side it is to be found every summer haunting some waste fields near a scrubby hazel covert about a mile from the town of Killala.

Wheatear, Saxicola œnanthe.—A regular summer visitant, very commonly distributed throughout the district.

Sedge Warbler, Salicaria phragmitis.—A regular summer visitant.

Whitethroat, Sylvia cinerea.—A regular summer visitant, generally appearing in this neighbourhood some time in May, from three weeks to a month later than the Willow Wren.

Willow Wren, Phylloscopus trochilus.—A regular summer visitant arriving in April, and, except the Wheatear, the most numerous of all our summer birds.

Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus rufa.—Rare in this district, its haunts being restricted to a few old limbered demesnes. A straggler occasionally remains here in the Moyview trees for a day or two, but then passes on to the finely-wooded demesne of Belleek Manor, the seat of Sir Charles Knox Gore, situated three miles further up the river. It appears strange that none of these little birds remain here during the summer, for the timber is at least sixty years old, and covers about forty acres. In the South of Ireland I have known this bird to frequent much smaller patches of wood, and of younger growth, but in the neighbourhood of very old elms; so that probably aged trees are their favourite feeding-grounds, which they like to return to after an occasional forage amongst younger trees.

Golden-crested Wren, Regulus cristatus.—Resident and very common throughout the district, where there are suitable plantations.

Great Tit, Parus major.—Resident and common.

Blue Tit, Parus cæruleus.—Also common.

Cole Tit, Parus ater.—Common throughout the district. All three species build and rear their young in holes of walls about this place; indeed I have seen nests of the three species in the same wall of the farm-yard, with not many yards between the nests. They are very fond of feeding on oats, and it is most amusing to see the quickness with which such a feeble little bird extracts the grain from the husk, by placing it under its foot and, holding it firmly, twisting off the husk with its bill. Both the Blue and Cole Tits are very expert at this mode of shelling.

Long-tailed Tit, Parus caudatus.—Not common in the district, although Sir Charles K. Gore informed me that it is resident in the Belleek Woods. I have only observed it here at Moyview in the winters of 1857–58 and 1858–59, when it was very common in the plantations.

Pied Wagtail, Motacilla Yarrellii.—Resident and very common throughout the district, even in winter.

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba.—Has once occurred here. I shot one in a ploughed field on the island of Bartragh, April 25th, 1851: it appeared to move about more quietly than the Common Wagtail, and looking so much lighter in colour than that bird, I was induced to shoot it, and sent it to Dr. Harvey, of Cork, who confirmed my opinion by pronouncing it to be Motacilla alba.

Gray Wagtail, Motacilla boarula.—Although a resident, is not commonly distributed through this district. I have met with young birds on the banks of the Moy close to Ballina.

Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla Rayi.—A beautiful adult male visited this place on the 15th April, 1875. I saw it following a plough and picking up grubs and insects as they were turned up. It remained for only one day, and then disappeared.

Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis.—Resident and very common. Some years ago, in the month of September, while rabbit shooting early one morning, on the island of Bartragh, I witnessed a most extraordinary gathering of Titlarks. They appeared to have been resting after a long flight, and when I disturbed them in passing, the entire flock of about two hundred birds all took flight directly towards the mainland in a south-westerly direction, I was at first at a loss to account for such a gathering, as the number of resident Titlarks on the island could scarcely amount to a score, but the fact of such a number being collected together, and all taking flight in the same direction from the island, lead me to conclude that this was a migratory flock which had been driven out of its course by winds or fogs, and had rested on the island as the first land made on coming from the open sea up the bay.

Rock Pipit, Anthus petrosus.—Frequents the coast throughout the year.

Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis.—Very common throughout the year, but appears to me to be more numerous in the south during winter.

Snow Bunting, Emberiza nivalis.—A winter visitant, some years appearing in very large flocks on the island of Bartragh in March, probably collecting together before leaving for their northern summer quarters.

Common Bunting, Emberiza miliaria.—Resident in very limited numbers throughout the district.

Yellow Bunting, Emberiza citrinella.—Very common, and the most numerous of the resident species.

Reed Bunting, Emberiza schœniclus.—Very common in the district, owing to the extent of wet land, so suitable to its habits.

Chaflinch, Fringilla cœlebs.—Very common.

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus.—Scattered throughout the district in little communities, although it cannot be called numerous anywhere.

Green Linnet, Coccothraustes chloris.—Resident and common in suitable localities, though not seen here in such numbers as in the South of Ireland.

Hawfinch, Coccothraustes vulgaris.—I have only once met with this bird here. In November, 1857, I saw a very fine one feeding on the red berries of a creeping shrub close to the sitting-room window at Moyview. It came close enough to the window to afford us a good view of it.

Goldfinch, Carduelis elegans.—Resident, breeding in the gardens and trees near the house. A few summers ago a pair had a nest in an elder tree in the garden and reared their young, but for several days after I saw some of the young had left the nest I heard the plaintive call of a young one within it. I did not mind it at first, but hearing the cry day after day without ceasing, I climbed up and found a fully fledged young bird fastened by the leg to the bottom of the nest, its little claws having become entangled in the wool used in its construction. This was so finely twisted round the foot that before I could disentangle it I was obliged to bring it down from the tree. Last summer I found a young Spotted Flycatcher fastened to its nest in a similar way, but although quite fledged its wing-feathers had been so worn away by rubbing against the nest in its struggles to escape that it was quite unable to fly when set free.

Siskin, Carduelis spinus.—Rare: I have only once met with it here, when I observed three birds (two females and a male) feeding on a ditch bank, along with some Goldfinches, in December, 1872.

Lesser Redpoll, Linaria minor.— Rare, though resident in very limited numbers. One or two pairs have nests every season about the garden and plantations. I found a nest built in a larch tree about twelve feet from the ground, and also found young birds in the plantations when scarcely able to fly.

Mountain Linnet, Linaria flavirostris.—The commonest of all the Linnets that frequent the district, and hundreds may be seen in winter feeding amongst the bent grass on the island of Bartragh, where numbers also breed and rear their young in summer.

Common Linnet, Linaria cannabina.—Common, but not to be seen in such numbers here as in the South of Ireland.

Bulfinch, Pyrrhula vulgaris.— Rare: I have only occasionally observed it during winter, and I do not remember ever seeing it in this district in the breeding season, although it may take up its abode wherever there are brakes of its favourite sloe or blackthorn.

Starling, Sturnus vulgaris.—Exceedingly numerous during winter, and a few pairs breed in the cliffs of Killcummin Head, Killala Bay.

Chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus.—Scarce: a few pairs breed in the sea cliffs of Killcummin Head.

Raven, Corvus corax.—Has become very scarce of late years, owing to the constant trapping and poisoning which is carried on. During the past five or six years I have only seen one solitary bird in the district.

Gray Crow, Corvus cornix.—Rather common, but not so numerous as in the South of Ireland. A pair builds every season here in a grove near the shore.

Rook, Corvus frugilegus.—Resident and numerous.

Jackdaw, Corvus monedula.—Very numerous in this district on account of the great facilities afforded for building in the ruined abbeys and castles.

Magpie, Pica caudata.—Very common.

Tree Creeper, Certhia familiaris.—Occasionally seen here. In the fine old timber of the demesne of Belleek Manor, near Ballina, it is resident and common.

Wren, Troglodytes vulgaris.—Common.

Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus.—A regular summer visitant.

Kingfisher, Alcedo ispida.—Occasionally seen in winter, when a solitary bird sometimes visits the shores of the Estuary.

Common Swallow, Hirundo rustica.—Regularly visits this district about the middle of April. The dates of its appearance for the last few years are as follows:—1872, 13th; 1873, 16th; 1874, 8th; 1875, 16th; 1876, 18th; and 1877, 12th of April.

House Martin, Hirundo urbica, Sand Martin, Hirundo riparia, and Swift, Cypselus apus.—Regular summer visitants, the Swift making its appearance later than either Swallows or Martins.

Nightjar, Caprimulgus europæus.—Very rare: I only once came across it, when I found a dead bird in one of my fields, on the 10th September, 1860. I believe, however, that it is not uncommon in summer about Hazelwood, near Sligo, about thirty miles from this place.

 

(To be continued.)