44 Tlic Irish Natuvalist. April, 



Glaucous Gull off Greystones. 



I have to record the occurrence here of a Glaucous Gull (Larus 

 hvperboreus, Gunn) which was to-day (January 15th) flying up and down 

 along the sea front in company with Herring Gulls. This would seem 

 to be the first time that the Glaucous Gull has been noticed on the shores 

 of County Wicklow. Its visit is doubtless due to the prevailing bad 

 weather. 



J. D. La Touche. 

 Greystones, Co. Wicklow. 



Wild Swans on the Barrow. 



On the 29th of January I saw four wild Swans on the big floods on 

 the Barrow river near here, when I was out after wild fowl. They were 

 quite unmistakable, as I was within 120 yards of them. I do not know 

 whether they were Whooper or Bewick's Swans ; but three of the birds 

 were small compared with the fourth, and all were in adult white 

 plumage. I have only once before seen a wild Swan here- — I think it 

 was in iSgo- — and then only a single bird. It was also on the wide floods 

 of the Barrow, about two miles from where I saw the birds last Tuesday. 



John W. Young. 

 Stradbally, Queen's Co. 



Large Flights of Birds over Belfast. 



I noticed to-day (first week January) from day-light numbers of 

 Green Plover flying south, and soon after, about ten o'clock, Field-fares 

 flying S.S.E. Then came flocks of Redwings and Golden Plover and 

 some flocks of Larks, all flying same direction.* The wind at this time 

 was S.S.E. ; at one o'clock I brought my glasses down in case of further 

 birds passing ; the wind at this time changed to S.W. and after this time 

 thousands of Larks came quite low all flying S.W. They settled in 

 Ormeau Park for a rest, then came over river quite low and passed through 

 the Gas Works on their journey, and it would be interesting to know 

 where they stopped. 



Sixteen W^ild Geese also passed over about 250 yards high and four 

 Swans all going the same direction. The Larks and Redwings flew till 

 dusk in flocks of 100 to 200 at a time at intervals of five and ten minutes. 

 The Green Plover flew also the next day, Friday, but were not quite so 

 numerous. 



S. M. Stears. 

 Belfast. 



A Ringed Woodcock. 



With reference to Mr. Stendall's note on the above in the February 

 number, it will interest students of bird migration to know the complete 

 history of this particular W^oodcock, Scolopax r. rusticola. As soon as I 

 saw my friend Mr. Taylor's note in the "Northern Whig," I wrote for full 



