"On the 2d September, wind N.E., all the Pictarnies left the island,
flying in a northerly direction." [This again almost seems to indicate
a movement towards the north first, before returning south or in a
south-easterly direction. Future careful reports on directions of
flight here and of winds at the time can scarcely fail to prove of
interest.--J. A. H.-B.] "On the 4th of September four Ravens--a male
and female with their two young--I observed resting on the island,
but, after remaining a short time, they flew in an easterly direction
towards the mainland. On the 9th September we had a severe gale--wind
variable--and the island is quite deserted by land birds, the only ones
remaining being a few Twites. I caught several during the gale dying
from exposure. The only sea birds I can see are a few Gannets fishing
for food; but they too leave in the evening in the direction of Barra.
A few pairs of Curlews and a few Herring Gulls returned with their
young. On the 17th September I observed a solitary Heron feeding around
the shore; and I witnessed a strange incident in connection with it.
On the 22d of the same month, while walking round the island, I heard
strange cries coming nearer and nearer from a southerly direction, when
the Heron got up a few yards from me, and flew in the direction of the
cries, it being hazy at the time, and after the lapse of a few minutes
I noticed three coming out of the mist evidently overjoyed at seeing
one another. They flew round and round, for some time, and then flew
off in a north-easterly direction--the wind E.N.E., fresh.
"On the night of the 4th and 5th October a great number of birds struck
the lantern, strange to say the greater number of them being Snipe;
but there were also Mavises, Blackbirds, 'Marsh' (_i.e._, Meadow)
Pipits and Rock Pipits, and a few Pictarnies, all seemingly young birds
of the year; but I was surprised to see the Pictarnies, as they had
all left, and none had been seen about the island for some time; and
these have evidently been migrating. The island appears to be quite
deserted by land birds in the day time. On the night mentioned the
wind was variable--from S.E. to S.W., with drizzling rain. On the 7th
October I observed a large flock of Shielducks coming from N.E., and
after resting a short time, they got up and flew off south, the wind
being at the time S.W." [Report ending 31st October 1886. Here ends Mr
Georgeson's notes on Monach.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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