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
I do not know that there is any evidence of the Crossbill ever having
bred in the Islands, though it seems to have made its appearance there
at almost all times of year. Mr. MacCulloch mentions its feeding on the
apple-pips, and doing damage in the orchards accordingly, and I know it
is generally supposed to do so, and has in some places got the name of
"Shell Apple" in consequence, but though I have several times kept
Crossbills tame, and frequently tried to indulge them with apples and
pips, I have never found them care much about them; and a note of
Professor Newton's, in his edition of 'Yarrell,' seems to agree with
this. He says:--"Of late it has not been often observed feeding on
apples, very possibly owing to the greatly-increased growth of firs, and
especially larches, throughout the country. In Germany it does not seem
ever to have been known as attacking fruit-trees."
The Crossbill is included in Professor Ansted's list, and only marked as
occurring in Guernsey and Sark. There is no specimen in the Museum.
73. COMMON STARLING. _Sturnus vulgaris_, Linnaeus. French, "Etourneau
vulgaire."--The Starling is sometimes very numerous in the autumn, but
those remaining throughout the year and breeding in the Island are
certainly very few in number, as I have never seen the Starling in any
of my summer visits; and Mr. MacCulloch tells me "the Starling may
possibly still breed here, but it certainly is not common in summer. A
century ago it used to nest in the garrets in the heart of the town." As
to its not being common in summer, that quite agrees with my own
experience, but a few certainly do breed in the Island still, or did so
within a very few years, as Miss C.B. Carey had eggs in her collection
taken in the Island in 1873 or 1874, and I have seen eggs in other
Guernsey collections, besides those in the Museum. When I was in
Guernsey in November, 1871, Starlings were certainly unusually
plentiful, even for the autumn, very large flocks making their
appearance in all parts of the Island, and in the evening very large
flocks might be seen flying and wheeling about in all directions before
going to roost. Many of these flocks I saw fly off in the direction of
Jersey and the French coast, and they certainly continued their flight
in that direction as long as I could follow them with my glass, but
whether they were only going to seek a roosting-place and to return in
the morning, or whether they continued their migration and their place
was supplied by other flocks during the night, I could not tell, but
certainly there never seemed to be any diminution in their numbers
during the whole time I was there from the 1st to the 16th of November.
I think it not at all improbable that many of these flocks only roosted
out of the Island and returned, as even here in Somerset they collect in
large flocks before going to roost, and fly long distances, sometimes
quite over the Quantock Hills, to some favourite roosting-place they
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account