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
have selected, and return in the morning, and the distance would in many
places be nearly as great. These flocks of Starlings seem to have
continued in the Island quite into the winter, as Miss Carey notes, in
the 'Zoologist' for 1872, seeing a flock in the field before the house
at Candie close to the town as late as the 6th of December, 1871. At the
same time that there were so many in Guernsey, Starlings were reported
as unusually numerous in Alderney, but how long the migratory flocks
remained there I have not been able to ascertain.
The Starling is included in Professor Ansted's list, but marked as only
occurring in Guernsey and Sark. There are two specimens in the Museum
and some eggs.
74. CHOUGH. _Pyrrhocorax graculus_, Linnaeus. French, "Crave."--The
Chough is a common resident in Guernsey, breeding amongst the high rocks
on the south and east part of the Island, and in the autumn and winter
spreading over the cultivated parts of the Island, sometimes in
considerable flocks, like Rooks.
As Jackdaws are by no means numerous in Guernsey, and as far as I have
been able to make out never breed there, the Choughs have it all their
own way, and quite keep up their numbers, even if they do not increase
them, which I think very doubtful, though I can see no reason why they
should not, as their eggs are always laid in holes in the cliffs, and
very difficult to get at, and at other times of year the birds are very
wary, and take good care of themselves, it being by no means easy to get
a shot at them, unless by stalking them up behind a hedge or rock; and
as they are not good eating, and will not sell in the market like
Fieldfares and Redwings, no Guernsey man thinks of expending powder and
shot on them; so though not included in the Guernsey Bird Act, the
Choughs on the whole have an easy time of it in Guernsey, and ought to
increase in numbers more than they apparently do. In Sark the Choughs
have by no means so easy a time, as the Jackdaws outnumber them about
the cliffs, and will probably eventually drive them out of the
Island--indeed, I am afraid they have done this in Alderney, as I did
not see any when there in the summer of 1876, nor in this last summer
(1878); and Captain Hubbach writes me word he has seen none in Alderney
himself this year (1878). I, however, saw some there in previous
visits, but now for some reason, probably the increase of Jackdaws, the
Choughs appear to me nearly, if not quite, to have deserted that Island.
In Herm and Jethou there are also a few Choughs, but Jackdaws are the
more numerous in both Islands. No Choughs appear to inhabit the small
rocky islets to the northward of Herm, though some of them appear to be
large enough to afford a breeding-place for either Choughs or Jackdaws,
but neither of these birds seem to have taken possession of them;
probably want of food is the occasion of this. Mr. Métivier, in his
'Rimes Guernseaise,' gives "Cahouette" as the local Guernsey-French name
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account