8 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



Red-spotted Bluethroat are seen in great numbers, sometimes in 

 large masses; males of the Redstart are innumerable; while the 

 Garden Warbler is less numerously represented. The Whitetliroat 

 is extremely abundant, and solitary examples of the Barred Warbler 

 are met with on specially warm days. Of the Warblers, the Willow 

 Warbler occurs in great numbers, but of the pretty Wood Warbler 

 only isolated examples are occasionally met with. The Reed 

 Warblers (Acrocejohalince) are represented during the whole of the 

 month by the Sedge Warbler in great numbers, while on the other 

 hand the Marsh and Reed Warblers and Grasshopjjer Warbler are 

 met Avith only in isolated instances. The Common Wheatear is 

 still very abundant, but by this time the greater number of the 

 birds present consist of females ; while the whole island often 

 teems with Whinchats. Among the thrushes, the Ring Ousel is 

 now the most abundant ; the numbers* of Song Thrushes are 

 considerably on the decline, while of Blackbirds only scattered 

 sti'agglers may still be seen. 



Great flocks of the Blue-headed Wagtail, among which scattered 

 examples of the Black-headed Wagtail occur, are seen to frequent 

 the pastures. Of the Pipits, the Tree Pipit occurs very abun- 

 dantly ; of the Tawny Pipit, on the other hand, only isolated 

 examples are met with, while of the occurrence of Richard's Pipit 

 only exceptional cases are known. With the exception of the 

 occasional appearance of an example of the small, pretty, short- 

 toed species from Greece or Asia Minor (Alauda brachydactyla), 

 Larks are no longer seen. The Buntings are numerously represented 

 by the Ortolan Buntings, and now and again by an example of 

 the Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocepliala). Of the 

 Finches, solitary examples of the Goldfinch only are still met with. 



The Swallow, somewhat later the House Martin, and lastly the 

 Sand Martin, now migrate in large numbers ; and large flocks of 

 the Swift pass in uninterrui^ted succession. The Cuckoo may be 

 seen daily, and sometimes even heard. The Goatsucker is met 

 with very frequently on all warm and calm days ; the same may 

 be said of the Wryneck ; and the Turtle Dove, whose appearance 

 seems to be less dependent on the weather than that of the birds 

 just mentioned, may be seen singly or in groups of three or four 

 individuals, up to the end of the month. 



Among the May arrivals must be classed by preference the three 

 species of Totanus, — the Common Sandpii^er, the Greenshank, and 

 Spotted Redshank. Of these, crowds of the first frequent the 

 rocky shore of the western coast of the island ; the Greenshank 

 only occurs scattered in the same locality, while the Spotted 

 Redshank is seen or heard only on very rare occasions. The Land 



