Richard Manliffe Barrington

“ What a vast breeding-ground of this species, as yet undiscovered, must there be somewhere in the far north if we witness the great streams on their annual migration along our coasts. In spring they travel on and on towards the north until they find a temperature cool enough for the successful hatching and rearing of their young, reaching their far off summer quarters even before insect-life has begun to show itself, after the long Arctic winter ”

“ There are ninety species of plants, all told, common alike to Southwestern England and Ireland, and to the Pyrenean and Italian region. They represent an old flora no longer adapted to the country,—a flora of warmth and sunshine,—and now dying out under the advance of hardier, more vigorous and congenial species. They may be regarded as the last floral relics of the submerged land, that semi-tropical western land whose plants and flowers are not of Scandinavian origin, but derived from Southern Europe. ”

“ The Sea-parrot does not lay more than one egg unless it is taken away, when another is laid at the end of a week, and if this is taken away another egg is laid; then no more are laid that year. The young remain in their holes until they are fully feathered. They leave them in July, and are well guarded in the sea by the old birds. It is my opinion they do not ascend on the island any more after they have left their holes. The only way the young birds are distinguished from the old ones the following spring is that their feet are still a little black. ”

“ A few errors in the identification of species probably have been made, but no blame is attached to the light-keepers, who gratuitously observe for us to the best of their ability.
In accordance with a desire expressed by the other members of the Committee, and for the sake of uniformity, the observations have been arranged under each species instead of under the day of the month, and the light-stations are arranged geographically, beginning at the Fastnet, in Cork, and going round by the east and north to the west coast. The entries in the spring schedules are placed first under each species. ”

“ The hardiness of the race, bred thus on the shores of the Arctic seas, induces the vigour and "fitness" which enables them to travel so far again to the southward in autumn and winter; and it is the annual overflow of their vast numbers, pressing behind those in the van, which—as it were—adds impulse to the ability, and carries them forward. ”

“ As in 1881, records on the W. coast begin to bulk more largely towards the southern stations. All north of Rhinns of Islay and MacArthur's Head the records of land-birds are very scanty, and the lighthouse keepers remark upon the scarcity. At usually (normally) crowded stations, such as Skervuile, they are reported as yielding "fewer birds than for many years back." Even at Rhinns of Islay the records are not large, but they begin to show an increase at this point. Unfortunately I have no autumn returns between Rhinns of Islay and Corsewall, which latter is south of the Firth of Clyde. ”

“ It is also important to note, that while so abundant at the outlying station of Isle of May and Bell Rock on the E. coast, there should have been an almost complete absence of any of these species at the next station, a little higher up the Firth of Forth, viz., at Inch Keith; and to record that it appears to be always with westerly winds that birds occur there. While there were hundreds of records at Isle of May, there were none with the same winds at Inch Keith, and only about ten records in all. ”

“ It requires then no stretch of imagination to believe that great flights of birds would on the approach of winter be driven before the intense cold of Eastern and Central Europe to seek refuge and find food in the warm regions of the west, regions which then would feel the full effects of the warm equatorial currents, and enjoy an almost perpetual summer. This movement once begun would, by the very necessities of existence, and in time by an hereditary instinct, be continued.-53- Gradually the land now occupied by the North Sea has been withdrawn from beneath the migrating flocks ”

“ When the great general movement takes place, and the flights of birds pass over old frequented and well-known spots, these are recognised and promptly occupied by the hereditary occupants, or, if found unoccupied by later migrants, they are then filled up. This remark applies both in spring and autumn. In a former Report I have instanced the arrivals of Wood Pigeons on the Fife coast, and I have also instanced breeding-sites of birds occupied for many years, unoccupied for two or more years, and then reoccupied again. ”

“ The severe frost which visited these islands for about ten days, beginning on December 6th, caused a local migration of many land-birds to the sea-coast, and several entries occur in the schedules at this time.
The weather observations taken by the light-keepers, when of an ordinary character, have been sometimes omitted; but with scarcely an exception every entry in the schedules, which refers to the occurrence of a particular species on a given date, is recorded.
The name given by the light-keepers to the birds is always adopted, and generally without comment ”

“ Have many overshot the land and passed out over the Atlantic?
Another point worth noting, is the occurrence of many birds in spring at the same stations frequented by the species in autumn. Thus, at Mull of Galloway on March 8th and 9th, with westerly winds. Goldcrests were abundant, and at the same station on Oct. 15th and 16th, an autumn-rush took place, with easterly and N.E. wind and haze. The same double records occur at Bell Rock and Isle of May as regards many species, and especially Turdidæ and Regulus cristatus. ”

“ Another point to note in spring migration of 1883, will be the greater westering of the return migrants, if we may use the expression, partly consequent upon the greater westering of the autumn migrants, caused by the long-continued and strong south-easterly winds of the preceding autumn, and partly upon the north-easterly winds of March pressing them down and deflecting their course to more inland and sheltered lines. ”

“ I have spoken in previous reports of the probability of birds following ancient coast-lines once linking now distant lands, impelled by what we call, for want of a better term, hereditary instinct, that is, an instinct derived through ancestors. ”

“ It is, perhaps, an open question whether the young, which undoubtedly arrive in the autumn weeks in advance of the great mass of old birds, depend entirely on this, or whether they are in any way dependent on guidance and direction. It is a curious fact, which we have frequently remarked, that the very earliest of their kind are frequently a few old birds,—flocks of young, too, often contain a-54- sprinkling of old female birds,—such as may be supposed have made the journey before ”

“ Bell Rock came in also for a share, though apparently, from the schedules, a much smaller one than at the Isle of May. The easterly winds prevailed all along our E. coast, generally strong to gales, and the successions of south-easterly and easterly gales in October, between the 8th and 23rd, occurring as they did, just at the usual time of the principal migration, brought vast numbers of land-birds to our shores. ”

“ The absolute knowledge, that year after year no birds are seen at these stations would be as valuable to us as positive data. By a chance visit to Buchan Ness—one of these stations—on the Aberdeenshire coast, I learned that a Manx Shearwater was once captured at the lights, and saw the specimen, and thus it was added to the Aberdeenshire fauna, besides being an extremely rare visitant to any portion of the E. coast. ”

“ Gulls, enormous numbers (and Gannets) passed Isle of May, Sept. 30th. Herring Gulls, a movement S. past Isle of May all day, on 10th. Lesser Black-backed Gulls (called "Lady Ann Gulls ") flying S.E., and numbers on the 14th and 18th. Iceland Gulls (with Swans) , two seen at Sumburgh Head, Dec. 25th, and one (last record) on Dec. 8th. The Larger Glaucous Gull is not always easily distinguished from the Lesser Iceland Gull; both being very white, however, and are in relationship to one another as the Great Black-backed Gull is to the Lesser Black-backed Gull. ”

“ Looking through the records, and comparing them with reports from the English coast and elsewhere, it is evident that-74- Ireland lies comparatively out of the track of migrants, and its western stations are especially poor.
The Tuskar Rock, on the Wexford coast, is certainly the best station. Large numbers of migrants strike the lantern there, and many are killed. Being the nearest land to the Welsh coast, and the extreme south-eastern point of Ireland, the Tuskar is well situated for observation. ”

“ Rush from about Sept. 11th to 18th at Sumburgh Head, and also patent at Isle of May; vast rush most observed at Bell Rock and Isle of May in October (see under Turdidæ) . At Bell Rock most on Oct. 12th, "Bullfinches, Blackbirds, Mavises, Larks, Stonechats, Golden-crested Wrens, Titlarks and Starlings, dead on balcony or fell into sea. Mr. Jack is sure hundreds must have been killed that night." Again, on Dec. 20th, Mr. Jack remarks, "largest numbers of Larks ever seen here; impossible to state numbers seen or killed; striking hard for hours, like a shower of hail." ”

“ Thousands of birds were flying round the lantern from 11.30 p.m. to 4.45 a.m., their white breasts, as they dashed to-49- and fro in the circle of light, having the appearance of a heavy fall of snow. This was repeated on the 8th and 12th, and on the night of the 13th 160 were picked up on deck, including Larks, Starlings, Thrushes and two Redbreasts; it was thought one thousand struck and went overboard into the sea. It is only on dark rainy nights, snow or fog, that these casualties occur; when the nights are light, or any stars visible, the birds appear to give the lanterns a wide berth. ”

“ It is well known to naturalists that Swallows cross the Alps by certain passes, as is also done by other species, regularly year after year. People have often marvelled at the punctuality of appearance of the Swallow and other species at certain favourite resorts. ”

“ This would greatly facilitate our deductions from year to year; and especially would I ask attention to this at all the more northerly stations, and all the west coast stations.
Perhaps not the least remarkable migration was that of Regulus cristatus (the Golden-crested Wren) , extending in one broad wave from Faroe southward along the whole coast, coming with S. to S.E. to E. winds, reaching the Scottish stations by Aug. 27th, and continuing to November 12th, but apparently not reaching Faroe till Oct. 21st, when a great rush took place. ”

“ The record of June 29th, of a Redstart in light E. wind, seems more of an accidental nature, as it is separated from the one before by a month, and from the true autumn migration by six weeks. Three species of Saxicolinæ on East Coast in spring. In autumn, the same species. Records from Whalsey, Sumburgh Head, Pentland Skerries, Bell Rock, Isle of May, and Inch Keith. ”

“ Dunree Head.—"Autumn: Cormorants are here all the year round; they build their nest under the lighthouse. They go up the Lough every morning, and return in the evening. No birds strike this light. Land-birds are very scarce."—John Stapleton.
Lough Swilly.—"Autumn: Birds seldom strike this lantern. Barnacle Duck and Widgeon frequent the head of Lough Swilly from about Oct. 1st to end of March."—Henry Redmond.
Arranmore.—"Spring: The birds that breed on this island are 'Stonechats,' 'Gulls,' 'Puffins,' 'Ravens,' 'Goldfinches,' 'Hawks,' and 'Red-legged Jackdaws' (Choughs) . ”

“ On 16th wind changed to S., and all left. All stations send in heavy returns; but the heaviest is from Isle of May, and hundreds were seen at Bell Rock on the 12th-14th. A desultory migration, with frequent rushes, was kept up all October; also all November, the following dates bulking largest, viz., Nov. 5th, 9th, 12th, 18th, and 27th, the northerly stations of Sumburgh Head and Pentland Skerries having during this month heavier returns on the whole than the more southerly ones. Wind during this time at Sumburgh Head fresh W., when fifty Redwings appeared on 5th. ”

“ Thus, such species as game Hawks, large Hawks, large brown Hawks, dark grey Hawks, &c., appear in the records more abundantly in October than at other times, whilst Sparrowhawks, Merlin and Kestrel appear more frequently at other times. ”

“ As will be seen others of the Scolopacidæ make early appearances also this season (Woodcock, Snipe, &c.) . In autumn, a large movement of Curlews between Pentland Skerries and Isle of May. To the N. of Pentland Skerries very few observed. Earliest (if we take July) , July 10th, at Pentland Skerries, one heard. Latest, also at Pentland Skerries, on Dec. 7th, a flock, strong E. Rushes spasmodical and frequent in July and August. Note.—Between Oct. 14th and 19th, strong S. gale, moderate on 20th, at Pentland Skerries. Sept. 22nd, October and December, but almost inappreciable in numbers. ”

“ Heligoland. Feb. 22nd, N.W., a very great flight; 28th, several flights going due E.; March 4th, same; 13th and 14th, less. Autumn: Sparingly north of the Humber, and in large numbers at the southern stations throughout October and November, and on to the middle of December. Immense numbers remain in North Lincolnshire during the winter, feeding in the lowlands on both sides of the Humber, and moving in the afternoon to the high wolds, where at dusk they retire to the great woods to roost.
Raven, C. corax, Linn.—Whitby L.H., May 20th, one, "comes each year about this time." ”

“ WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND.
Schedules, &c., were sent to forty stations, the same number as in previous years. We have received filled-in schedules from thirteen stations. [12]
[12] But the Isle of Man stations—five in number—have been taken over by Mr. P. Kermode, as he is on the spot, and as they really lie more into his district,
Generally the returns are light, lighter than last year. ”