HERONRIES IN DEE, ETC. 7 



HERONRIES IN DEE, ETC. 

 By A. LANDSBOROUGH THOMSON. 



MR. BOYD WATT'S interesting supplementary list of Scottish 

 Heronries in the April issue of the "Annals" (1910, pp. 68- 

 70) has drawn my attention to his original list (" Ann. Scot. 

 Nat. Hist," 1908, pp. 218-223), and I have noticed some 

 omissions from the " Dee " section which the second list has 

 riot made good. As a result of further inquiries I have 

 discovered several other omissions ; but I am not surprised 

 that Mr. Watt's information was incomplete, for many of the 

 facts, although they relate to my own district, are quite new 

 to myself, and some of them were only ascertained with 

 difficulty, although I am well placed for making inquiries 

 as regards the area. And I am, moreover, by no means 

 satisfied that the following amended list is exhaustive, more 

 especially as regards the north-eastern portion of " Dee " : 



QUEEN'S HILL, ABOYNE. According to my friend Mr. A. M. Wilson, 

 M.A., there were 14 nests in 1907, and I believe there were 

 about the same number in 1908. The heronry is doubtless 

 still flourishing. It is one of the most important omissions 

 from Mr. Watt's lists. 



BLACKBALL, BANCHORY. In Mr. Watt's first list. 



EDINGLASSIE, STRATHDON. Also in Mr. Watt's list. My friend 

 Mr. Ian G. Innes tells me that there were between 6 and 9 

 nests in 1908. 



MONYMUSK. This is apparently a new heronry. Captain Arthur 

 Grant writes that it was first known of in 1908, comprised 4 

 nests in 1909, and 5 nests this year. The nests are in larches. 



LEITHHALL, KENNETHMONT. An old-established heronry not men- 

 tioned in either of Mr. Watt's lists. There are at present about 

 a dozen nests. According to Mr. Leith Hay, the birds shifted 

 to their present wood about ten years ago. Curiously enough 

 it was the season before the old wood was destroyed by a wind 

 storm. 



KEITHHALL, INVERURIE. There are at present about 14 nests 

 divided between two places. A third spot close at hand was 

 tenanted by a few pairs up till about nine years ago. The nests 

 are in silver firs. 



