29th, northerly, light, clear, early hoar-frost.—Corv. cornix, not many. Monedula and frugilegus, pretty numerous. Sturnus, small flights. Merula, early, pretty many. Iliacus, scattered. Sy. rubecula, a couple. Regulus flavicapillus, two. Mot. alba, several small flights and single birds. Anth. pratensis and rupestris, pretty many. Emb. schœniclus and citrinella. F. cœlebs, all very single. Scolopax, about twenty shot.
30th, E., S.S.E., slight, clear, fine, early, very sharp hoar-frost, in evening E.N.E., cool.—All the above, but in little numbers.
T. viscivorus, daily a few; never coming numerous. Char. auratus and vanellus, as Tot. calidris only singly. Ought to have been merula and scolopax, but if hoar-frost turns up early, there is never much visible migration.
31st, S.E., quite light, clear, strong hoar-frost, during daytime warm.—Early, nothing, and during daytime almost nothing, in spite of fine weather. C. cornix and monedula, very single small flights. No Sturnus, no merula, no Woodcocks shot. S. titys, one. F. cœlebs, cannabina, chloris, as Anthus all very single.
Strange, that in forenoon, after all hoar-frost had disappeared, and it became quite warm and sunny, not a merula or scolopax arrived, and no Crows passed, the few flights of the latter passing surprisingly high, certainly several thousand feet, which is very uncommon, as the usual normal boundary is 500 to 600 feet. Can this give rise to the conclusion that other species whose normal route of migration lays always very high, should under the influence of hoar-frost migrate so high that they can neither be seen nor heard, which would be in the case of Crows about 10,000 feet?
In rare cases I have seen Rooks and Daws pass so high, that my attention being roused by their call, they were only visible in the shape of very fine dust.
The same also happens that under favourable atmospheric circumstances, the calls sound down clear from a height to which the sense of sight is unable to penetrate.
April
1st, westerly, slight sunny; warmer. Highest cirri, N.O.—Only very little visible migration. The few flights of Corv. cornix and monedula extraordinary high, 3000 to 4000 feet. Merula, not many; more than half old [female]. Musicus and iliacus, some. Rubecula, Accentor, Regulus fl., Sax. ænanthe and rubicola, all only few. Mot. alba, Anth. pratensis and rupestris, pretty many. Larks, few. Fr. cœlebs, montifringilla, cannabina, and montium, all pretty many. Scolopax rusticula, a couple. Anas nigra [male], very many on the sea.
2d, N.N.W., light; early fog, flying clouds, W.S.W.; P.M. North overcast, cold.—Nothing during daytime. Early, from three to four o'clock, Woodcocks and Thrushes, Five to seven fog; in evening cold, clouds very slow from North. Sy. titys, a couple. Merula, very few.