(Authors are responsible for nomenclature used.) 



The Scottish Naturali 



fi? A a- 



No. 15.] 1913 [March 



BIRD NOTES FROM THE ISLE OF MAY- 

 SPRING AND AUTUMN 1912 



By Leonora Jeffrey Rintoul and Evelyn V. Baxter 



We again spent a month in spring and another in autumn 

 on the Isle of May, and we propose to deal briefly in this 

 paper with the observations we made there, reserving the 

 fuller particulars and the notes kindly supplied us by Mr 

 Baigrie for the Report on Scottish Ornithology in 191 2. We 

 arrived on the island on 29th April, and left, with much 

 regret, on 31st May. During this time there were con- 

 tinuous small passages of birds, and large movements on 

 6th and nth May. On our arrival we were given a Greater 

 Wheatear, which had been killed at the lantern several 

 nights before ; this is the earliest date for this race on the 

 Isle of May. In the evening a great assemblage of Shags 

 was swimming about under the west cliffs ; all appeared to 

 be adult birds. On going out on 1st May we found 

 that Wheatears, Greater Wheatears, Willow-warblers, Rock- 

 pipits, Lapwings, and a Wren had arrived. A Whinchat had 

 come in by evening, and there was some daylight passage, 

 consisting of two flocks of Meadow-pipits, a Swallow, and a 

 Crow. The first Redstart and Whitethroat arrived next day, 

 and a Linnet flew over going W., calling as it flew. On the 

 5th there were some arrivals in the evening ; these comprised 

 a good many Wheatears, two $ Whinchats, and a Redstart, 

 while nine Dunlin were circling round the lantern that night. 

 6th May was a great day ; there were many arrivals and also 



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