REPORT ON SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGY IN 1910 145 



On 3rd August Quails were heard calling near Stornoway 

 (3-iv. 156), and on the 6th a Nightjar's nest with 2 eggs was 

 found on the slope of Torrmore near Tayvallich (Argyll) 

 (1.1910.248). Two Corncrakes' nests with partially in- 

 cubated eggs were found in a hayfield at Beattock on the 

 8th and 9th, and in the second week of August a Cuckoo was 

 hatched out in a Corn Bunting's nest near the manse of 

 Ollaberry (Shetland). A few days previous to ipth August 

 a Greyhen was seen with two sets of chicks, one lot well 

 grown, the other two or three days old (1.1910.247). A 

 Stock-dove's nest with 2 eggs is reported from Kirkliston on 

 4th September, and a Twite's nest with 3 fresh eggs was 

 seen at Inverfirth (Shetland) in the middle of September. 



WINTER. 



The climatic conditions in the early part of 1910 were 

 such as to cause much distress among Redwings. Though 

 these birds were scarce in the end of 1909, we have records 

 of them in January 1910 in varying numbers from the 

 Flannans, Butt of Lewis, Fair Isle, Pentland Skerries, Bass 

 Rock, East Fife, and Craignish (Argyll). As these localities 

 are all practically sea-girt, the birds congregated there when 

 driven by severe weather from the interior of the country, or 

 from the Continent. In East Fife they were "swarming on 

 the 27th," and a good many very emaciated Redwings were 

 found shortly after lying dead under the holly trees. Thrushes 

 and Blackbirds, the latter mostly males, were noticed in 

 Shetland, on the Pentland Skerries, Fair Isle, and the 

 Flannans, and in great numbers in East Fife. Great Spotted 

 Woodpeckers were noted early in the year in the Girvan 

 Valley and at Glenorchard, Stirlingshire (2.ii. 143). Green- 

 land Falcons visited various parts of Scotland. 



Eight Whooper Swans were noted in January flying 

 over the moor at Corsemalzie (Wigtown), and there were a 

 good many Swans in the Tay from time to time. A Gadwall 

 was shot on the Loch of Stempster, while immense droves 

 of Wigeon frequented the estuary of the Urr (W.H.A., 

 " Scotsman ") and the Tay, and this species is recorded several 

 times from the Pentland Skerries. Among the Waders, 

 79 c 



