A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF BERWICK-ON-TWEED 69 



A large number of Swifts breed in the loft, in the roof of Cold- 

 ingham Abbey, gaining access through the latticed window at the 

 west end. I have watched as many as twenty of the birds entering 

 here at one time, and have been puzzled to think how they could 

 gain their nests, probably on the wall-heads, or in crevices in the 

 walls, in the very dim light which must prevail inside. 



Another interesting problem regarding these birds, which has 

 often struck me, is how and when do the young ones learn to fly ? 

 Numerous as they are with us, and often as I have watched their 

 nesting-places, I never saw an individual which appeared to be at 

 all weak upon the wing, nor ever knew one to alight anywhere 

 except at its nest. 



The earliest Swifts usually arrive in Berwick during the first week 

 in May. In my records for over twenty years I find I have only 

 three times observed them in April viz. in 1878 on 26th; in 1885 

 on 27th; and in 1896 on 27th. In autumn most of them depart 

 before the end of August, but a few commonly linger for a week or 

 ten days later ; while on three or four occasions I have seen single 

 birds flying over the town in October, the latest date being the i4th 

 of that month, in 1882. 



ALPINE SWIFT, Cypselus melba (Linnaeus). Except the specimen 

 shot on the Northumbrian coast, near Boulmer, on iSth July 1882, 

 there is no record for the district, and I should, perhaps, scarcely have 

 referred to this here, except for the fact that I was once told by a 

 young friend that he had seen a large Swift off the sea banks, near 

 Berwick, which he thought had a white breast. Of course it may, 

 or may not, have been this species. 



NIGHTJAR, Caprimulgus europaits, Linnaeus. A few pairs nest, 

 in suitable localities, on both sides of the Tweed, and I have more 

 than once seen individuals, in Berwick, on migration, in autumn. 



RED-NECKED NIGHTJAR, Caprimulgus ruficollis, Temminck. 

 For the benefit of younger ornithologists, a passing reference may 

 perhaps be permissible to Hancock's well-known record of this bird, 

 at Killingworth, near Newcastle, on 5th October 1856, which is still, 

 I believe, the only instance of the occurrence of this southern species 

 in northern Europe. 



GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, Dendrocopus major (Linnaeus). 

 Has, within recent years, quite re-established itself in many parts of 

 the country, from which it had long since disappeared, and it now 

 breeds, in several localities, in the Border counties. In 1868 there 

 was a great influx to the neighbouring district, and in that year, the 

 late Dr. Maclagan recorded having seen one near to Berwick. Since 

 then it has several times been killed, or noticed, about the town, 

 generally during the autumnal migration. I have two or three times 

 had specimens from Holy Island, though the whole island does not 

 boast a tree worthy of the name. 



