BANFFSHIRE BIRDS 241 



The Common Crossbill {Loxia curvirostni) is reported as 

 being occasionally seen in various parts of the county. 



Mr D. Ainslie has shown me a specimen of the Shore 

 Lark {Otocorys alpestris or Ercmophila alpestris flava) which 

 was shot on Boyndie Beach about 1880; this is the first local 

 record. Mr W. Brodie saw some strange birds on Boyndie 

 Beach in the winter of 191 5. They were six to seven inches 

 long, had a brown back, white underparts, yellowish about 

 the head and throat, with tufts of upright feathers on each 

 side of the head. He shot one, but unfortunately did not 

 keep it ; he said that the picture of a Shore Lark resembled 

 the birds in question. Dr Eagle Clarke says that it occurs 

 annually on Fair Isle from 15th October to 16th December, 

 but that it had only once been seen there in spring. 



Starlings {Sturmis vulgaris) were much less abundant in 

 191 7 than of late years. 



A Brent Goose was shot near Macduff, 28th February 

 1917. It rarely visits this district. Tufted Duck, considered 

 very rare by T. Edward, occur occasionally in winter. I saw 

 a pair off Boyndie Beach 25th March 1916, and four below 

 Banff Bridge, 17th January 191 8. Others have been reported 

 on the coast. I identified a couple of Common Scoter off 

 the rocks at Banff Harbour Station, 23rd November 19 16, 

 apparently the first local record. 



The season of 19 17 was excellent here for Partridge and 

 Grouse, better than for many years, although disease almost 

 exterminated Grouse in Tomintoul area. Very few Wood- 

 cock arrived in 19 17- 18. 



As the Green Sandpiper has not been recorded for the 

 district it may be stated that Capt. L. F. Davidson in 1917 

 placed a specimen on loan in the Banff Museum. It was 

 shot near Cullen about 1906. Mr D. Ainslie has a specimen 

 which was shot near Banff about 1880, and one was shot in 

 the Den of Pitling, near Keith, 2nd September 1917 (T. 

 Gordon Duff, Esq., in letter). 



The Curlew Sandpiper was only once identified by T. 

 Edward. I observed closely with a field-glass, four birds of 

 the year on Boyndie Beach on 1st September and two on 

 the 7th September 191 7. 



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