In August, flock of Golden Plover at Butt of Lewis on 30th. Stray
records at Rhinns of Islay and Lochindaul, and one record of Grey
Plover at former on 20th. S.W., fresh and rain.
Slight movement on 2d and 5th September at Rhinns of Islay of Golden
Plover, and "large number" on 12th at Turnberry, and a number at Little
Ross on 28th. No very heavy records at any time. Flocks in October,
but no records of important movements. Three records in December 17th,
18th, and 19th, at Rhinns of Islay. Few records of Oyster Catchers.
Lapwing, Ring Plover, Dotterel.--Very few light movements in February,
March, and April of Lapwings. Do. in July (one), flocks on 19th August,
and 30 on 30th, 100 at Rhinns of Islay on 14th September, 40 on 24th,
"great numbers" at Turnberry on 14th September, 100 on 21st October at
Rhinns of Islay, and numbers on 9th at Lochindaul all day, and on 11th
and 23d. No records of other species, or of Lapwings, at later dates.
Scolopacidæ.--Woodcock, Snipe, Curlew, Whimbrel.--Whimbrels, or Little
Curlew, or "May Fowl," in small numbers rested for four days on the
rock at Dhuheartach on 11th to 14th May. No other notice, spring or
autumn.
Curlews--February, March, May, single records. In June thirty to forty
alighted on hill near Mull of Galloway, and stayed three weeks and
left. August--Flocks on 19th at Lochindaul; thirty on 19th at Mull of
Galloway; and a flock at Little Ross on 3d. In September many light
records; heaviest, fifty at Rhinns of Islay, and a large flock and a
small flock on 1st at Little Ross, and a large flock of young Curlews
same place on 28th. In October a fair number of records; fifty on 21st
at Rhinns of Islay, and a number on 11th at Lochindaul; twenty at Mull
of Galloway on 20th.
Woodcock--At Lamlash, on 15th March, two birds at 11 A.M.; E., strong;
and on February 1st, one at Kyleakin, 11.30 A.M.; S., with snow on the
island.
No more entries till October, when only three in all at Rona (on 8th),
S.E., fresh, "first seen;" one at Rhinns of Islay (22d), N.E.; and one
at Corsewall (25th), N.E., fresh, "struck and killed." In November, one
bird at Mull of Galloway on 19th; and one, on 20th and 21st December,
at Rhinns of Islay.
Considering that this was a most remarkable year for Woodcock in
Central Scotland, and in the West, in Ardnamurchan, Mull, and many
other places, it is remarkable how few have been seen at lighthouses.
Here in Stirlingshire thirty-five and twenty-eight were killed on
Torwood and Touch in two days. The birds had been quite three weeks
in the country. In January 1887, 33½ couple were shot in seven
days, and we heard of total bags for the season of 160 to one gun
in Ardnamurchan, 400 in Ross of Mull, 260 in north of Mull on one
property, etc., etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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