BIRD NOTES FROM THE ISLE OF MAY 199 



There is, too, a never-failing pleasure in the observation of 

 the habits of the land- and sea-birds which breed on the 

 island. On our arrival we were given a small lot of birds 

 which had been killed at the lantern on the night of the 3rd- 

 4th : these comprised a Wood-warbler, a first record for the 

 island, Willow-warblers, a Whitethroat, and a Sedge-warbler. 

 There were some migrants on the May on the 8th, namely, 

 a Carrion Crow, a good many Willow-warblers, three White- 

 throats, about six Fieldfares, a good many Wheatears, a 

 Whinchat, a Redstart, and a Swallow. An Eider had a nest 

 and five eggs, and eight Oyster-catchers were circling near 

 the harbour. Next day a White Wagtail, a Thrush, and 

 some Greater Wheatears had appeared, and the first Fulmar 

 recorded from the May flew close past the south end a bird 

 of this species was also seen on the 25th. In view of the 

 recent extension of range of the Fulmar, these occurrences 

 strike us as being of interest, possibly a case of " coming 

 events" casting "their shadows before." On the 10th we 

 saw our first Razorbill and Guillemot eggs, and found a 

 newly hatched brood of Rock-pipits. A Carrion Crow and 

 a Hoodie were both on the island on the 11th, and one of 

 the latter species on the 14th, a Peregrine on the nth, a 

 Linnet on the 13th, and one or two Tree-pipits from the nth 

 to the 13th. On the 14th small numbers of a good many of 

 our common summer migrants were seen, these being 

 probably our own birds arriving, though some may have 

 been passage migrants, and a Wood-pigeon appeared and 

 stayed till the 16th. The chief arrivals on the 15th were a 

 Pied Flycatcher, a Ring-ouzel, and a Ringed Plover, and we 

 saw the first Kittiwake's egg. On the 16th and 17th there 

 were further arrivals, all of common species, and although 

 there was no big movement there were a good many birds 

 about, the most interesting being Reed-buntings and a 

 Lapwing on the former date, a White Wagtail and a Robin 

 (Dandalus rubecula rubeaila) at the lantern that night, and a 

 Skylark, a good many Spotted Flycatchers, two Garden- 

 warblers, two Swifts, and two Dunlins next day ; two Robins 

 of the continental race were also on the island. A Thrush 

 appeared on the 19th, and a Grey-headed Wagtail on the 



