BIRD NOTES FROM THE ISLE OF MAY 17 



MALLARD, A. boschas. The only note for the year is one bird seen 

 by Mr. Maccuish on 2nd May. 



SHOVELLER, S. clypeata. Mr. Maccuish reports a beautiful drake on 

 a small pool near the lighthouse on and May. 



TEAL, Q. crecca. Seen on six occasions from i2th September to 

 yth October, from one to six at a time. 



WIGEON, M. penelope. On 2ist October a small flock came in, one 

 female was procured by Mr. Maccuish and sent to me. 



TUFTED DUCK, F. cristata. Five flew close over my head on 2ist 

 September, they were going S.E. 



EIDER, 6 1 . mollissima. I saw Eider throughout my visit, a fair-sized 

 flock when I arrived, which was augmented by fresh arrivals on 

 24th September, and yet more appeared on ist October. On 

 nth September I saw an Eider duck with five chicks, still 

 small and downy ; by 28th September one drake had assumed 

 his full plumage, but there were many in various stages of 

 eclipse. 



BLACK SCOTER, y. nigra. Only once seen by me, viz., on 2gth 

 September, when a small flock consisting of two ducks and 

 three drakes arrived, and after circling round several times 

 settled just outside the harbour, among a flock of Eiders. 



WOOD PIGEON, C. palumbus, I have only three records for the year, 

 viz., single birds on 28th March and 22nd September, and two 

 on 23rd September. 



CORN-CRAKE, C. pratensis. One appeared on yth May, and one was 

 heard craking at 5 A.M. on igth May. 



MOORHEN, G. chloropus. On 2nd April one came to the lantern at 

 3 A.M., and on i ith May one was found dead on the island. 



GOLDEN PLOVER, C. pluvialis. " A few " were observed on 2nd 

 May. On the return journey a small flock appeared on 22nd 

 September and stayed till the 24th. One of the flock killed 

 itself against the lantern, and another on the telephone wire. 



RINGED PLOVER, &. hiaticula. On 20th September one was trotting 

 about by the harbour, and on the night of 4th October one was 

 caught at the lantern ; both were birds of the year. 



LAPWING, V. vulgaris. i5th February is the first record of Lap- 

 wings for the year, one being noted at the lantern. On 5th 

 March five or six were attracted by the light ; on 2ist March 

 "a few, ii P.M., one killed." On the night of ist April there 

 were many at the lantern. In autumn one appeared on the 

 1 9th and 2oth, four on the 2 ist, and two on the 22nd and 

 24th September. On 3rd October, three flew over going south, 

 and on the 5th, four or five spent the day on the island. I 

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