Report on the Migration of Birds in the Spring and Autumn of 1881. Third Report

by J. A. Harvie-Brown; Richard Manliffe Barrington; John Cordeaux; P. M. C. Kermode; Alexander Goodman More

Iceland and Faroe.—Schedules, &c., were, as before, forwarded to Iceland and Faroe. Returns have come from Faroe, the results of which I prefer to keep under a separate heading, as they usually come in when the rest of the Report is well advanced.

Of Saxicolinæ there is one record on May 13th, when one Wheatear was seen on board the 'Arcturus,' thirty miles east of the Orkney Isles. Of Hirundinidæ, one seen at Thorshavn on May 22nd. Of Otidæ, one Long-eared Owl was seen at Vivalvig, Strómó, on June 27th. Of Ardeidæ, one Night Heron, Nycticorax griseus (Linn.), was killed at Videreijde on May 4th. In autumn several Turtle Doves, Columba Turtur, were seen, and one shot at Nólsó on Sept. 7th. Of Rallidæ, one Water Rail was killed in the hospital garden, at Thorshavn, on Oct. 31st. Of Laridæ, one Pomatorhine Skua (young), was killed near Kirkebó on Oct. 26th. Of Rallidæ, one Coot, Fulica atra, was shot at Nólsó on Nov. 8th.

The winds prevailing at the time of the above records for the most part southerly and easterly in Faroe, but on May 13th and 22nd southerly and westerly, and also S.W. on Nov. 8th.

The usual papers were sent to twenty-six stations, as before. With Iceland, Faroe and Fair Isle we have on this line thirty stations in all.

Twelve stations on the East Coast of Scotland returned filled-in schedules, against eight last year—1880—out of the twenty-six. Many of these returns are very light, but those from Isle of May, Bell Rock and Pentland Skerries are unusually full, showing great highways of migration, and also that from Sumburgh Head. We shall have more to say on this in our general remarks at the end of the Report.

The stations are as follows, commencing in the north. The dates upon which the various stations have sent in returns are shown in the list by the positions of the asterisks preceding the consecutive numbers. The work done compares favourably with that of 1880, but we receive as yet only twelve returns from twenty-six stations; however short, others will be acceptable, even if only negative information.

Those sending no returns have not in all cases given reasons. Attention to this is earnestly requested (vide 2nd Report, p. 2).

The numbers are the same as in the 2nd Report, 1880, but another for Fair Isle has been inserted as "7B."

East Coast of Scotland.
1879,	'80,	'81.
*	*		4.	North Uist, Shetland	230	ft.	Robert Burnett.
	*	*	5.	Whalsey Skerries, Shetland	145	"	Neven Kerr.
			6.	Bressay, Shetland	105	"
*	*	*	7.	Sumburgh Head, Shetland	300	"	John Wilson.
			7B.	Fair Isle	?	"	—Lawrence.
Orkney.
*	*	*	8.	North Ronaldshay	140	"	John Tulloch.
			9.	Start Point	80	"
*	*	*	10.	Auskerry	110	"	John MacDonald.
	*		11.	Hoy Sound (Low)	55	"	Alexander Harp.
			12.	Hoy Sound (High)	315	"
			13.	Cantick Head	115	"
*	*	*	14.	Pentland Skerries	170	"	D. MacDonald.
Mainland.
	*	*	15.	Dunnet Head, Caithness	346	"	David Laidlaw.
		*	16.	Holborn Head, Caithness	75	"	David Charleson.
	*		17.	Noss Head, Caithness	175	"
*	*		18.	Tarbat Ness, East Ross	175	"	W. Davidson.
		*	19.	Cromarty, East Cromarty	60	"	Robt. S. Ritson.
			20.	Chanonry Point, Elgin	40 "
			21.	Covesea Skerries, Elgin	160	"
			22.	Kinnaird Head, Aberdeen	120	"
			23.	Buchan Ness, Aberdeen	130	"
		*	24.	Girdleness, Aberdeen	185	"	John McGill.
			25.	Montroseness, Aberdeen	124	"
*	*	*	26.	Bell Rock, off Fife Coast	93	"	James Jack.
*	*	*	27.	Isle of May, Firth of Forth	240	"	J. Agnew.
	*	*	28.	Inch Keith, Firth of Forth	220	"	R. Grierson.
			29.	St. Abb's Head, Berwick	224	"

Notes received from other sources will appear, as before, after the paragraphs on each species, as it is desirable to keep the two sets of observations distinct. I would also refer here to my "Third Report on Scottish Ornithology," already referred to in 'Migration Report, 1880,' p. 4, as having been read, but not yet printed (Feb. 1882).