Under date of Oct. 17th—"A great rush of migrants at Isle of May "—Mr Agnew has the remarks: "The Woodcock was killed on the S.E. side, and the other birds on the N.W. side. Thus the migrants have been exactly meeting one another; and this is just as I would have expected,—the Woodcocks coming to us, and the others leaving us. It would appear as if they were all waiting a favourable opportunity to go. Seventeen Woodcocks were shot during the day on the 17th Oct. on Isle of May."—J. A. The birds striking the N.W. side consisted of Redwings, Larks, Starlings, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Whinchats, Chiff-Chaffs, Willow Warblers, Golden Crests, one Crow, and the rush continued over the 18th. These birds, striking the N.W. side, no doubt reached our shores further north, and were "coasting," or, as we have remarked in previous reports (as in the case of Woodpigeons and Larks), were crossing the Firth of Forth from north-westerly directions to southeasterly ones. The wind at the time of this migration was light E. The Woodcock would thus travel at fair advantage, and strike the S.E. side; and the other birds which struck the N.W. would have a still more favourable flight, with the wind beam on the left shoulders.
We consider these remarks by Mr Agnew most valuable, as bearing out previous experience in a remarkable manner.
Again, under date of 10th Nov., Mr Agnew writes: "Thousands of Fieldfares, etc., etc. The vast rush to-day were flying exactly in the same direction as the great rush of the 17th Oct., and had it been at night, the lantern would have been swarming, and they would have struck it exactly on the N.W. side as before; wind S., but very nearly calm. The birds were flying high in the air; a few lighted, but immediately went on again direct S.E. I never saw anything like it in daylight before. There were also blackbirds, male and female, on the island to-day, but the males predominating."
Again, on the 26th Nov., Mr Agnew writes: "10 A.M., S.E. gale. Two Woodcocks shot. This gale came on at 9 A.M. on the 23d, and is still increasing, and the glass falling. It is now 4 P.M., and the glass 29·05. There has been nothing like this from the S.E. for years. The barometer fell to 28·65 on the night of the 26th."
Separate Report under Genera and Species.
Turdidæ.—Spring.—In February indication of Fieldfares on 23d and 26th, and with S.W. gale at Isle of May on 22d, 23d, and 27th, an unusual experience here to appear so frequently as they have done. A few also appeared 2d, 3d, 4th, and a good many on 9th, with N.W. winds. Again a few March 15th, 18th, and 24th at Isle of May. In April, only one record. Isle of May; but in May, flocks and stragglers for first three weeks at Pentland Skerries; prevailing winds, N.E.; no very strongly defined "rush," only on one day, flocks at Isle of May. A few unimportant movements of other Turdidæ, viz., Song Thrush, Redwing at Stations VII., VIII., XIV., and XXVII. The Ring Ouzel is noted at Pentland Skerries, but marked as "very rare here" (20th April), and again May 2d and onwards for several days.
In Autumn.—An early movement of Song Thrushes, July 4th and 17th, at Pentland Skerries; wind variable on 4th, and light N.W. on 17th, and one bird at Isle of May on 27th. Unimportant again at Isle of May in Aug. 13th and 18th, and ditto in September at same station. First Fieldfares on 29th, with light W. wind; but in October real migration set in of Turdidæ, earliest as usual at Isle of May; on 8th a Fieldfare (wind shifting from N. to S.W.) followed by a single bird. First record of Redwing again at Pentland Skerries, with light N.N.E. airs, an apparent rush of which at same place between 26th and 31st. Flocks and intermittent movements all the month from 8th to end, of all three species. November, however, bulks largest from Stations IV,, VII., VIII., IX., X., XIV., XV., and XXVII., during the whole month. Fieldfares predominating far beyond the numbers of other Turdidæ. Whilst many "flocks" are recorded all through the schedules south of VIII. (N. Ronaldshay) to XIV. (Pentland Skerries), and even appearances at XV, (Dunnet Head), fewer records are given north of VIII., and none occur between XV. and XXVII. (Isle of May). A rush is only very decidedly shown at Isle of May on 10th, when thousands of Fieldfares and other Thrushes round station at 9.30 A.M., with a S. wind, and flew on southwards. On the 17th there is a "rush" recorded of Redwings at XXVII. at 1 A.M., light E. haze—six killed. Immense numbers of the several species of Turdidæ,—viz., Fieldfares, Song Thrushes, Redwings, but curiously we do not find a single entry of Blackbirds anywhere during the whole Autumn Migration, which extended all through December and January, though in smaller numbers as compared with November. Prevailing wind all October, northerly and easterly; south-easterly and easterly in November, but the rush came with due S. wind. When westerly winds occurred, as usual fewer records. In December, winds various, but more westerly than November, but in January again back to E.[3]
[3] Addition to List of Birds of the Isle of May.—Dipper (Cinclus aquaticus, L.), the British form—shot April 22d, 10 A.M., light west haze—now in Collection at Isle of May, under curatorship of Mr J. Agnew.
Saxicolinæ.—Spring, confined to April and May. Records from VIII. (North Ronaldshay), XIV. (Pentland Skerries), and XXVII. (Isle of May) of Wheatears, Whinchats, and Redstarts. The "Stonechats" of the N. Ronaldshay Schedule are probably Wheatears, a rush of which took place there on April 4th—the earliest record—at twelve noon; wind light south. Wheatears arrived pretty numerously at XXVI I. , to breed there, on 20th April. Earliest Redstart at XIV., with strong S.S.E. wind and fog, marked "rare," on 29th April; but earliest at XXVII. on the 18th, one [male], light west, and haze. Towards the end of May Redstarts appeared in very small numbers; again at XIV., and two Whinchats.
In Autumn.—Early departure of the old Wheatears from XXVII. (Isle of May), before 22d July. This is noted as earlier than usual by Mr Agnew. One bird noted at XIV. (Pentland Skerries) on 23d August, with N.N.E. and driving rain.