Birds of Guernsey (1879): And the Neighbouring Islands: Alderney, Sark, Jethou, Herm; Being a Small Contribution to the Ornitholony of the Channel IslandsSmith, Cecil
History
Birds of Guernsey (1879): And the Neighbouring Islands: Alderney, Sark, Jethou, Herm; Being a Small Contribution to the Ornitholony of the Channel Islands
Smith, Cecil
Birds -- Channel Islands
There are two specimens in the Museum in Guernsey both in immature
plumage; in that state, in fact, in which this bird most commonly
occurs, and in which it is the Bald Buzzard of Bewick.
Miss C.B. Carey records one in the November number of the 'Zoologist'
for 1874 in the following words:--"In the May of this year an adult male
Marsh Harrier was found in Herm. Unfortunately it got into the hands of
some person who, I believe, kept it too long before bringing it over to
be preserved, so that all that remains of it is the head." I had no
opportunity of examining this bird myself, not even the head, but I am
disposed to doubt its being fully adult, as it seems to me much more
probable that it was much in the same state as those in the Museum, in
which state it is much more common than in the fully adult plumage. Miss
Carey seems only to have seen the head herself, so there may easily
have been a mistake on this point.
Mr. MacCulloch writes me word that a Marsh Harrier was killed in Herm in
May, 1875. It may be just possible, however, that this is the same bird
recorded by Miss C.B. Carey, and that Mr. MacCulloch only heard of it in
the May of the following year, and noted it accordingly. This, however,
is mere supposition on my part, for which I have no reason except that
both birds were said to have been killed in Herm, and both in May.
Professor Ansted mentions the Marsh Harrier in his list, but marks it as
only found in Guernsey.
12. HEN HARRIER. _Circus cyaneus_, Linnaeus. French, "Busard St.
Martin."[6]--The Hen Harrier, perhaps, occurs rather more frequently
than the Marsh Harrier, but it can only be considered a rare occasional
visitant. In June, 1876, I saw one young Hen Harrier, which had been
shot in Herm in the April of that year, about the same time as the
Iceland Falcon, and by the same keeper, who had brought it to Mr. Couch
to stuff. Another was shot in Herm on the 19th of June, 1877. This bird
is now in Mr. Maxwell's collection, where I saw it on the 27th of June.
It was first reported to me by Mr. Jago, the bird-stuffer in Guernsey.
These are the only two Channel Island specimens of the Hen Harrier
which I have been able to find. I have never shot it myself or seen it
alive. It is, however, included in Professor Ansted's list, but marked
as occurring in Guernsey only.
[13. Omitted.]
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