158 British Bird Calendar. 



April 20 — Oae Swallow seen about 5-15 p m. on Front near Clarence Pier, 

 Southsea. D. E. P. (Southsea). 



„ 18 — Swallows seen here to-day ; Cuckoo heard. Lons-tailed Tits 

 have been engagred in building operations for the past two 

 weeks. Gold-crest and Nuthatch building within sight of 

 my windows here ; the former are quite numerous. Carrion 

 Crows nesting, and some Moorhens just beginning to sit. 



J. S. R.. Leadenham. April 23, 1913. 



„ 22 — I heard two Wrynecks answering each other from opposite 

 sides of the open road, but did not see them ; however, others 

 have been more fortunate. The Nightingale was heard in 

 this district a few days ago. .7. W., Ashley. Hants., Ap'l 27 

 19 — During a short stay at East Hoathly, Sussex, I heard the Cuckoo 

 calling regularly, but did not sight it, at intervals during the 

 days of 19th, 2nth, and 21st. 



„ 20 — Saw the first Swallows arrive in the grounds of our member 

 D. Lovell-Keays. who informs me they nest yearly on a beam 

 in one of his outhouses. Also saw a Long-tailed Tit carrying 

 nesting material. The Nightingale is now singing regularly 

 in the district lEast Hoathly and neighbourhood). 

 26 — Saw the first Chiff-chaffs and Willow Warblers in my garden ; 

 may have occured earlier unnoticed. W. T. P., Mitcham, 



April 30. 



., 23 — There was an abnormal number of Chaffinches in Grimsby, par- 

 ticularly on the Fish Docks, an unusual place to see anything 

 but sparrows. About 11 a.m. on this day I was informed that 

 there were hundreds of Bullfinches on the ships in the docks 

 and on the pontoon. I, of cour.se, was curious to know some- 

 thing definite, and went to the docks. There T found that 

 the report was correct, excepting that they were Chaffinches 

 not Bullfinches, and on the ships' rigging many were seen 

 perching in a dazed condition. From one of the skippers 

 (Skipper A. Laye, of the steam trawler Xptrharen), I got the 

 following information : at about 5"30 p.m. on April 2nd when 

 in lat. 53"58, Ion. 4i5 E., wind blowing 10 miles an hour, 

 direction S.E.. about 600 Chaffinches approached the ship from 

 the eastward, in an exhausted condition. About 150 came 

 aboard, but many failed to reach her, and striking the sides of 

 the ship dropped into the water. He picked up nine of the 

 best coloured ones,and put them into la basket. Five were 

 dead the next morning, and he said, that fully half of those 

 aboard were dead the next morning. T am informed that 

 there were quite 200 aboard one ship when she came into 

 dock on the morning of the 3rd inst., and varying numbers on 

 other ships. I presume most of the birds striking outward- 

 bound ships would perish, as they appear to have been too 

 exhausted the next morning to resume their journey. 



„ 15—1 saw the first Blackcap. 

 IT^Whitethroat was iseen, 



