Notes on the natural history of the Bell RockCampbell, J. M. (John MacLean)
History
Notes on the natural history of the Bell Rock
Campbell, J. M. (John MacLean)
Lighthouses -- Natural history; Natural history -- Scotland -- Bell Rock
We have had occasional visits of feathered migrants during the month,
but it is a matter of remark that each year sees a decrease in the
number of arrivals here. Probably the increased number of lights on our
coast accounts for this diminution, some proving more attractive than
ours. A few years ago it was quite on the cards at this season of the
year--thanks to the migratory instinct--to have an additional course
at dinner, to which fieldfares, blackbirds, and redwings were the
voluntary contributors, and even at times the gamey woodcock “graced
the groaning board”--for our “board,” being double-leaved and somewhat
senile, does occasionally groan, and this without reference to any
superincumbent strain. Amongst the more noteworthy of our captures
here, at various times, the following may be mentioned:--A peregrine
falcon, large horned owl, small brown owl, kestrels, sparrow hawks,
crows, cormorants, corn-crakes, and a turtle dove. Birds generally
arrive here in a fagged condition, and are easily captured. As an
instance, a kestrel landed on our balcony railing during fog, and,
despite the explosions of our fog-signal twenty feet overhead, tucked
his head under his wing and fell sound asleep. Another arrival of note
was a common blue pigeon, which, after a few hours’ stay, surprised
us by depositing an egg in our doorway. Disturbed on our appearance,
it reluctantly deserted its treasure, but not without many backward
glances before spreading its wings shorewards.
Podley-fishing has been fairly successful during the month, and
several codlings have been taken from the pools at low water. Whilst
photographing lately, another of our number was busy endeavouring to
extract a breakfast from Port Hamilton. Hooking a fair sized codling,
the camera was turned on the scene, and fish _à la photo_ figured in
our bill of fare next morning. A few years ago a photo was taken of a
paidle cock and hen, both of which were taken from their nests for this
purpose, and proved amenable sitters; the cock appearing in the photo
quite conscious of his importance, though the hen appeared somewhat
bored, having been snapped in the middle of a huge “gape,” which some
of my previous sitters might interpret as a yawn. Both were returned
to their nests none the worse of their unique experience, and possibly
yet relate their feelings before the camera to the admiring wonder of
fishy audiences, till puffed with the idea of their own importance they
now probably suffer from a disease (peculiar to some higher vertebrates
with as slender a reputation) resulting in what is colloquially known
as “swelled head.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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