The subject of heights of lanterns and their colours as attractions
for birds has not developed as yet any fresh facts, but, with the
conviction that they will yet do so, I still retain the table of
heights given. Actual experiment, however, would very likely very soon
set this part of the subject at rest (vide General Remarks, East Coast
of Scotland Report, 1880, pp. 19, 20). A light-vessel or two placed in
an equally favourable position with, let us say, the Isle of May or the
Bell Rock on the east coast, or at some point north of Tweed, would,
I believe, soon show us whether the preponderance of records south
of the Tweed is entirely due to old-established lines of migration,
or to the number of light-vessels on the English coast, or partly to
both. It would, I think, assist in proving or disproving theories of
land-communications which have been advanced and disputed by previous
writers. At present we cannot positively state from our present data
whether an actual or only an apparent preponderance of birds pass south
of the Tweed in autumn. It appears a little curious to find, however,
a highway of migration by the Pentland Firth so much further north
than the stations mentioned. Writing from North Ronaldshay Mr. Tulloch
remarks upon the usual scarcity of birds there, and says "they keep
more direct for the mainland"; and he remarks also upon the abundance
of birds seen in September and November at Pentland Skerries, where
he was lighthouse-keeper for four years. He remarks on the abundance
of Mountain Thrushes, Blackbirds, Owls, Woodcocks, Wrens, Robins, and
Titmice which occur there when the wind is from the east, and from
which station I have a large numerical return this year. This at first
sight appears to be a contradiction of what I have said about the
bulk of the birds passing south of Bell Rock, but, be it noted, the
prevailing winds at Pentland Skerries from August 23rd to September
12th were from points between north and south by east, but never by
west, and thereafter, between September 14th and October 10th, they
were prevailing south to south-west, but never west or north-west.
From October 14th they backed to north-east, and easterly winds again
prevailed here on till late in November. The isolated position of the
lights at Pentland Skerries, combined with the local prevalence of
easterly winds, is perhaps sufficient to account for the large mass of
the records. At all events I think the Pentland Skerries returns are
deserving, both now and in future, of special attention and study, and
I look upon it as a particularly interesting station.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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