Henry Stevenson

“ On the 9th a flock of over two hundred wild geese flew over Northrepps, in a N.W. direction, flying high and making much noise, and about the same time I learn that fowl in unusual numbers were heard passing over Breydon, near Yarmouth, but the nights were too dark for the gunners to do anything with them. Inland, and within a mile or two of Norwich, wild swans were seen on the wing, and a great many fowl frequented the low meadows both morning and evening. ”

“ The great abundance at the same time of Golden and Green Plovers, has been already referred to, but Fieldfares and Redwings have not showed in force this winter, nor have any of our smaller resident species suffered privation, owing to the brief duration of frost, and the remarkable mildness and damp of the season generally. ”

“ Sky Larks Migrating.—A very large flock of these birds was seen at Northrepps going S.W. by W. on the 12th.
Magpie.—A single bird killed at Gresham, by Holt, on the 14th.
Peregrine.—A fine bird, in nearly adult plumage, was sent up to Norwich on the 30th.
Short-eared Owl.—A very unusual number of these autumnal migrants appeared in various parts of the county between the 20th and 31st of October, at which time I saw between twenty and thirty specimens in our birdstuffer's hands. One bird is said to have had the remains of a Great Snipe in its stomach. ”