The Zoologist/4th series, vol 6 (1902)/Issue 738/Notes and Queries
NOTES AND QUERIES.
AVES.
A British example of the White-spotted Bluethroat.—At the meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club, held on Oct. 22nd, I had the pleasure of exhibiting the first authentic British-killed White-spotted Bluethroat (Cyanecula wolfi). This example—a fine adult male—was picked up dead close to the lighthouse at Dungeness, Kent, by a man named Gasson, on Oct. 6th of this year, and sent by him to Mr. Bristow on Oct. 8th, who on that date brought it up to me for examination in the flesh. My best thanks are due to Mr. Bristow for bringing it to me, and for lending it to me for exhibition.—M.J. Nicoll (10, Charles Road, St. Leonards).
The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) on the Somerset Coast.—Mr. William Eagle Clarke, who deserves the gratitude of all ornithologists for the trouble he has taken in working out the migratory movements of some of our British birds, considers that the White Wagtail visits our islands chiefly as a bird of passage, en route to and from some northern breeding grounds, and that the west coasts of Britain form the main route followed by the migrants (see Third Interim Beport of Committee appointed by the British Association to work out details of Bird Migration). As any evidence in support of a theory is useful, I may say that according to my experience this species is by no means uncommon on the coast of Somerset at the time of the spring migration. I have frequently noticed White Wagtails during the month of April on the sands near Weston-super-Mare, usually singly or in small parties consisting of two or three birds. The following dates of occurrences are taken from my note-books:—1898, April 12th and 18th; 1900, April 20th, 21st, and 27th; 1902, April 13th. During a ramble along the coast on April 23rd, 1902, I saw several of these birds between Blue Anchor and Watchet, and an observer at Minehead has informed me that they occur on the shore there in spring in good numbers, but only remain a short time. The species has also been noticed near Bristol, so it seems to be well distributed along the Somerset coast at the time of the spring passage, and if looked for at that time, when it may easily be distinguished from the Pied Wagtail (M. lugubris), could probably be noticed every year in considerable numbers. With regard to the return passage in autumn, I have only two records from personal experience. About Sept. 10th, 1898, I saw one not far from Porloch; and on Sept. 3rd, 1899, I saw an adult and an immature bird near Weston-super-Mare. These dates are consistent with Mr. Eagle Clarke's statement that "the return passage commences with mid-August, and is over by mid-September."— F.L. Blathwayt (Lincoln).
Water Pipit (Anthus spipoletta) in Sussex.—On Oct. 29th, whilst at Eye Harbour, Sussex, I shot a Pipit which flew over my head in company with another, and which proved to be an immature female specimen of Anthus spipoletta. I sent it to Mr. Howard Saunders for identification, and he kindly exhibited it for me at the November Meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club, as I was then abroad. This is, I believe, the eleventh British record, and the sixth for Sussex. Mr. Borrer (cf. 'Birds of Sussex') mentions four, and the fifth for Sussex was obtained atHollington, Sussex, in February, 1900, and exhibited at a meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club by Mr. N.F. Ticehurst. This species seems to be distinguished from the Rock-Pipit by its whiter breast and under tail-coverts, its slightly browner back, and by having the outer pair of rectrices nearly pure white, as well as a large wedge-shaped white spot on the second pair.—M.J. Nicoll (10, Charles Road, St. Leonards).
Nesting of the Hawfinch in Breconshire.—The Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris), which appears to be increasing in this county, nested here last summer at least once, and probably twice or thrice, though absolute proof of its having done so is only forthcoming in one instance. Like the Cirl Bunting, which was first discovered nesting in Breconshire in 1890, it is, as a resident, evidently extending its range westward. I am not at liberty to name the exact localities where it occurred last summer, as in one case the Wild Birds' Protection Act was infringed, and there are other reasons for not doing so. The nest which was found was situated in the west of the county, in an orchard adjoining a large garden where peas are extensively grown. This is, no doubt, the most westerly point in Wales, and possibly in Great Britain, where the Hawfinch has so far been found to breed. The birds had been previously seen by the finder of the nest about this orchard, and on June 9th last he succeeded in locating it. It was placed on a horizontal branch of an apple tree about fifteen feet from the ground, and contained one typical egg. I went with him shortly afterwards to see the nest, which, viewed from the ground, looked rather like a Turtle-Dove's, but was more solidly built. Hawfinches have been seen about the gardens near the locality above referred to for several years in the act of attacking the peas, and on two occasions several were shot. One of these—an adult male—is preserved in a Brecon collection. At another place, in the centre of the county, a small flock of Hawfinches, probably a family party, were found eating the peas in July last, and some of them, which were in the spotted plumage peculiar to very young birds, were shot. One of these is now in the collection of one of my neighbours. About the same time, in the east of the county, a flock were also detected damaging the peas in a large garden near Crickhowel. The Hawfinch has been observed nesting near this village several times in previous years.—E.A. Swainson (Woodside, Brecon).
Little Bunting at Durham.—This bird (Emberiza pusilla) was shot on the slag-bank at the Durham side of Teesmouth on Oct. 11th, after about a fortnight of east and north-east winds. Mr. C. Milburn and myself were walking along the top of the bank when we flushed it out of some rough grass at the side. We would have passed it for a female Reed-Bunting, but it uttered a different call—a sharp "cit"—so I shot it, and had it forwarded to Mr. Ogilvie Grant for identification. It was exhibited at the British Ornithologists' Club on Oct. 22nd, and is now in my possession. This is the second recorded British specimen.—C. Braithwaite (Sea View Terrace, Seaton Carew).
Migration of Jays.—The communication on this subject by Mr. G.B. Corbin (ante, p. 434) explains to me the cause of a large influx of Garrulus glandarius into this district during the last few weeks. Knowing pretty well the average amount of this species bred annually in the district, their sudden increase surprised me, and I was at a loss to account for it. There are still an unusual number here, but evidently the greater part have gone onwards, probably westward. I have had as many as ten or twelve at once in the field opposite my windows, and frequently half a dozen or more at a time pecking the acorns off a Turkey-oak tree close to my "den" window. I had forgotten the recorded immigration of this bird in 1883, referred to by Mr. Corbin, and have no note on the subject; but at any rate I can safely say that there has been no such an influx here, since then, as that which I have now recorded. I have, however, a note in October, 1861, that "numbers of Jays came here this month, and devoured the apples picked up into heaps for cider-making." That this might be the result of an immigration did not occur to me, and I evidently construed their presence to be simply due to the local attraction of my apple-heaps, bringing together the normal Jay-population of the district.—O. Pickard-Cambridge (Bloxworth Rectory, Dorset).
Glossy Ibis in Ireland.—Two specimens of this bird (Plegadis falcinellus) have been shot and sent to us for mounting—a male in fine plumage, shot at Lauwick, Co. Clare; female, shot near Wexford. Both birds are in immature plumage.—Williams & Son (Dame Street, Dublin).
A curious Water-Rail.—A Water-Rail (Rallus aquaticus) was shot close to this city on Nov. 13th, and brought to us for identification. The bird is entirely black, with the exception of the barred feathers on the sides, and the under tail-coverts, which are dull white; beak and feet black; eyes dark brown. We have seen white and cream-coloured varieties of this species, but this is the first instance of melanism we have met with during thirty years' experience.—Williams & Son (Dame Street, Dublin).
Knot inland in Cheshire.—A disabled Knot (Tringa canutus) was picked up at Bowdon, Cheshire, on the morning of Oct. 24th. The bird, which I saw in the flesh, had evidently been injured by striking the telephone-wires during the night. For three or four days previously the winds, S.W. or N.W., had been light, and on the night of the 23rd there was a slight breeze from the south-west, the greatest velocity of which was but twelve miles per hour, as recorded at a meteorological observatory eight miles away. From this we may reasonably conclude that the bird was a passing migrant, and not a storm-blown wanderer. To the best of my knowledge the Knot has never before been observed inland in Cheshire.—T.A. Coward (Bowdon, Cheshire).
Notes from Suffolk.—Varieties of Fieldfare and Yellow Bunting.—On Nov. 20th I obtained in the flesh a very pretty variety of Turdus pilaris, recently shot at Thurston. It has the head, back, and wing-coverts spotted with white, and a single white primary in the left wing. Mr. Travis, the Bury birdstuffer, has lately set up a striking variety of the Yellow Bunting (Emberiza citrinella), apparently an adult male, which is practically entirely yellow, and looks at the first glance exactly like a pale Canary.
Peregrines in West Suffolk.—Two immature females of this species (Falco peregrinus), both of which I saw in the flesh, were sent to Bury for preservation during November. The first, an example of the pale type, was killed near Mildenhall about Nov. 3rd; the second, a much darker bird, was taken near Bury about the 16th.—Julian G. Tuck (Tostock Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk).
Ornithological Notes from Shetland.—On Nov. 8th I obtained a female Bullfinch (Pyrrhula europæa) in the garden here. This is, as far as I know, only the second authentic record of the bird in Shetland; for, though Messrs. Evans and Buckley mention a newspaper report of a bird having been shot in Unst about the beginning of February, 1893, no name is given as their authority. On July 12th I saw three Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus hyperboreus), and one nest of four eggs. I was informed of the existence of three other nests with eggs in a neighbouring island, but had no opportunity of visiting the locality. The Great Skuas have this season started two new colonies in Unst. A Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) was seen here by my wife and myself on Sept. 29th; we watched it for two days, after which it disappeared. This is the only Whitethroat I have seen during my four years' residence here. There were more Redwings (Turdus iliacus) this autumn than I have ever seen before. Fieldfares (T. pilaris) were not so plentiful as usual. Of the Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), I got two nests this summer; the birds have been fairly plentiful. A Water-Rail (Rallus aquaticus)—a male—was brought to me by a boy on the 9th of this month; he caught it in a drain close by the road. This bird is not very common here. Saw an Iceland Gull (Larus leucopterus) on Balta Island, Nov. 15th.We have had most horrible weather since August—nothing but rain and gales, mostly from the S. and S.E. November half through, and corn in some places not yet in; some of it was only cut last week. Potatoes practically a failure this year also. I am going to experiment with trees again; the ones planted by my grandfather have been sadly neglected since his death twenty-two years ago, and, except in the large enclosure, are dying down, but I have got several hundred up this week, and am going to start planting to-morrow. There is no reason that I can see why trees should not grow, though of course they require care and attention. My mother planted a lot four years ago round her house, which occupies a most exposed situation, but they are all coming on well. It is curious that Frogs and Toads will not live here. I have tried them, but it seems no use; they just die off.—T. Edmondston Saxby (Halligarth, Baltasound, Shetland, N.B.).
On the Songs of Birds.—Dr. A.G. Butler (ante, p. 247) remarks most truly that the songs of birds, when endeavoured to be represented in words, are usually quite unrecognisable. Verbal representations of birds' songs are usually given with much local colour, as in respect to a particular Thrush, who persisted day after day in shrieking out close to me, as I gathered the close-netted strawberries, "Greedy man, greedy man; pick 'em, pick 'em!" The self-consciousness of the hearer is in many other respects often quaintly appealed to by Thrushes; but one of the most ludicrous of this kind is the quiet self-satisfied and oft-repeated remark I have heard from one of our Pigeons (I think it is the Stock-Dove), as I grubbed away for spiders under a tree, "Look at the fool, look at the fool!" The "Take two cows, Taffy" of the Ring-Dove is, of course, well known. What, however, I have now specially taken up my pen for, is to record by musical annotation a Blackbird's song, with which I was regaled in May, 1900, day after day, fur at least three weeks. I did not search closely, but I believe the hen bird was "sitting" close by; at any rate, the old cock sang his strain every day within a radius of twenty yards, as I frequently watched him, and my "den" being also close by with the window open, I became very familiar with his ditty. I may remark that, so far as I could make out, he had no other song at all. The notes were very soft, but yet full, fluty, and rich, and the intonation perfect. I never once detected it either out of time or out of tune. The strain would be repeated, generally, several times in fairly quick but not hurried succession; now and then it was more distinctly piano than at other times, and occasionally there was a little variation in the expression. When at last the song ceased I felt for some time as if one of my chief pleasures of the day was gone. Meantime, I wrote the strain on a scrap of music-paper, et voilà:—
—O. Pickard-Cambridge (Bloxworth Rectory, Dorset).
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Having undertaken the Birds for the forthcoming 'Victorian History of Suffolk,' and being desirous that the list should be as accurate as possible, may I be allowed to say that I should be very grateful for records of the occurrence of Savi's Warbler, Fire-crested Wren, Cirl Bunting, Golden Eagle, and Roseate Tern? Also for records of the breeding in the county within the last twenty years of the Bearded Tit and Hobby; and at any date of the breeding of the Pied Flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Hoopoe, Hen-Harrier, Marsh-Harrier, Kite, Bittern, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Sandwich Tern, Gadwall, and Tufted Duck?—Julian G. Tuck (Tostock Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk).