Report on the Migration of Birds in the Autumn of 1879. [First Report]Harvie-Brown, J. A. (John Alexander)
Science
Report on the Migration of Birds in the Autumn of 1879. [First Report]
Harvie-Brown, J. A. (John Alexander)
Birds -- Migration -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
Titlark, _Anthus sp.?_--At Spurn, May 25th, 1 a.m., rain,
several Titlarks killed (referable to the spring migration), At
the South-sand Head, Oct. 12th, 3 a.m., N.E., dense fog, Titlarks,
amongst thousands of other birds, around and passing lantern.
Shore Lark, _Otocorys alpestris_.--On Dec. 19th two were shot,
from a small flock on the Humber side of Spurn Point; these
were received in the flesh on the 22nd by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, of
Leeds.[8] At Heligoland, on Oct. 1st, "some flights"; 5th, "some
score"; 8th, "a great many"; 10th, "many flights"; on the 24th
likewise, and again on the 29th, "many."
[Footnote 8: Mr. Clarke subsequently informed me that on March 18th,
this year, he saw a flock of about twenty Shore Larks at Spurn, and
that during the past winter thirty-three have been shot there, in the
proportion of two males to one female.--_J. C._]
Sky Lark, _Alauda arvensis_.--None reported north of the Humber, and
a negative return from Heligoland. South of the Humber, from every
station making returns, and showing a gradual increase towards the more
southern stations, where they crossed in immense numbers. Earliest date
of passage, July 24th, at the Goodwin, 10 a.m., ninety to a hundred
flying N.W. to the nearest land, and again at the same station on Aug.
4th. After this no further notice till Sept. 17th, when the regular and
normal migration of this species appears to have set in and continued
without intermission till Dec. 27th. Leaving out the two earliest dates
as exceptional, we shall find that the immigration of the Larks to our
east coast was continued over 102 days. During October, November and
December (first fortnight) they crossed continually, passing from E. to
W., also from points S. of E. to others N. of W., over the narrowest
part of the North Sea, as is shown in the returns of the most southern
lightships--Galloper, Kentish Knock, Nore, North Foreland, Goodwin,
Gull-stream, East Side, and South-sand Head; time, any hour of the day
or night; direction of wind, variable. It would be quite impossible
in a limited space to give anything like a detailed statement of the
immigration of Larks, so a few extracts from my summary of the reports
must suffice. There was a "great rush" of Larks and other species
between Oct. 12th and 23rd. On the 16th October more birds appear to
have crossed than on any day during the autumn. There was again a
"final rush" of the laggards just preceding and during the outbreak of
severe weather early in December. At the Newarp, Sept. 29th to Oct.
27th, on fourteen days, going W., no particular hour, some striking
lantern at night. At the Cockle, Sept. 28th to Oct. 17th, as a rule,
very early in the morning (4.30 to 9.20 a.m.), on foggy, thick nights
stopping to hover round lantern, some strike and are killed; Oct.
9th to 16th, "great rush." At the Corton, Oct. 22nd and 23rd, flocks
passing all day to N.W.; Nov. 11th, many hundreds during day; and again
on Dec. 25th, all day from N.E.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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