NOTES 29 



Late Nesting of Wood-pigeon. Though it is well known 

 that the \\'ood-pigeon frequently nests as late as October, it may 

 be of interest to put on record that young were found in the nest 

 on 13th October. From the middle of September I paid frequent 

 visits to two small fir plantations near Darvel to ascertain if many 

 Wood-pigeons nested late in our locality. During my visit on 

 22nd September I located no fewer than eight nests five of them 

 with two young each, two with two eggs each, and one with one egg. 

 All the eggs were quite fresh. 



I also flushed a bird off another nest which contained nothing. 

 The last visit I was able to make was on 13th October when three 

 nests containing two, two and one young respectively, were noted. 

 NicoL Hopkins, Darvel. 



Bird Notes from Lauderdale. An example of the Great 

 Northern Diver was captured after some difficulty by two young 

 men on Earnscleugh Water, a tributary of the Leader. It was 

 forwarded to Edinburgh and identified by Mr Eagle Clarke, who 

 had the bird sent to the Zoological Park. At the time of its 

 capture (20th November) the weather was calm and frosty. 



A pair of Pied Flycatchers nested last June by a small wooded 

 stream near Lauder. Notwithstanding the wide destruction of their 

 nesting-woods. Great Spotted Woodpeckers successfully reared their 

 young by the Leader this past summer. 



Woodcock have increased largely as a nesting species in 

 Lauderdale within the past few years, and a number of nests were 

 found during the spring and summer in Thirlestane Castle Woods. 

 A Rough-legged Buzzard is frequenting the Lauderdale glens this 

 winter. Redwings and Fieldfares were later than usual in arriving, 

 but are now in great numbers. Bramblings again are rather scarce. 



When at Longcroft, five miles up towards the hills, one of our 

 keenest and most intelligent bird observers, a young shepherd, told 

 me that for three weeks or more past he had seen a party of Gold- 

 finches, once as many as five, among the thistles and other seeds by 

 Longcroft Water. This is interesting in view of one or two other 

 Border records, and a suggestion that they may be increasing. 

 Near the same place some years ago I saw two feeding by the 

 roadside. Wm. M'Conachie, Lauder. 



Recovery of a Marked Gull. Can any of the readers 

 of The Scottish Naturalist throw any light on the history of a 

 Gull that I picked up in my grounds at Harecraig, Broughty Ferry ? 

 It had been dead for some time, and on its leg I found a spiral 

 pink ring without any markings or name. William Mackenzii;. 



h:. 



