Bird Notes & News 



Vol. VII. ] 



ISSUED QUARTERLY BY THE ROYAL SOCIETY 

 :: FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS :: :: 



WINTER, 1916. 



[No. 4. 



Bird- Watching in 191 6. 



The work of the Watchers' Committee of 

 the R.S.P.B. this year has been affected by 

 the war in more ways than one. The funds 

 which make it possible have diminished 

 seriously, so that the special fund is at present 

 largety dependent upon the society's general 

 income, itseK much reduced. The efforts of 

 the Watchers have been both helped and 

 hindered by military regulations and the 

 presence of military camps and patrols 

 near protected areas. The majority of the 

 staff are men over military age, but those 

 accepted for Service have had to be replaced. 

 The former chief Watcher at Brean Down in 

 Somerset, Mr. Ernest Hawkings, is a Sergt.- 

 Instructor in musketry, machine-gun, and 

 bayonet ; his brother, who took his place, is 

 in the Life Guards, and a third brother now 

 assists his father, i\'Ir. Jesse Hawkings, in 

 the work of safeguarding birds and eggs. 

 Another of the Society's most trusted and 

 experienced Watchers, it may be mentioned, 

 had his house and furniture destroyed by 

 one of the September Zeppelins. 



Nevertheless, the record of the Watching 

 for the spring and summer of 1916 is exceed- 

 ingly satisfactory, in spite of drawbacl?^ 

 and difficulties, and in spite of unfavourable 

 weather at a critical time, when cold and 

 wet took toll of nests and yoimg birds. 

 Unseasonable conditions were especially 

 trying in the far north, one of the Shetland 



Watchers reporting it as the worst spring 

 and summer in his recollection, with heavy 

 snow in May and wet and fog right up to 

 August. At a less distant spot on the 

 coast, storms of wind interfered with the 

 Terns, whose nests were so completely 

 " blown up " with sand that the birds had 

 to start afresh, some wisely moving from 

 the shore to the adjoining heathy moor, 

 where they " came on fine." It is perhaps 

 too much to imagine that they will make 

 first choice of the more sheltered region 

 next spring ! The Terns of another locality 

 narrowly escaped a still greater danger. 

 Almost up to the time of their arrival, cavalry 

 from a neighbouring camp were doing patrol 

 duty on the shore, and the nesting-ground 

 was torn up by horses' hoofs ; happily, man 

 and horse departed just before the Sea- 

 Swallows winged their way to their old 

 breeding-place, and a thoroughly successful 

 season ensued. The presence of young 

 officers and men has naturally not been 

 without peril to the birds. In one area it 

 was found advisable to post special warning- 

 notices, and off one or two northern islands 

 the crews of patrol vessels gave trouble. 

 But no actual depredations have to be laid 

 to the door of men in either Navy or Army ; 

 and on the other hand, some of the soldiers 

 coming in contact with Watchers have 

 shown keen interest in the measures taken 



