Bird Notes and News 



37 



In Mrs. Elinor C. L. Close, who died on 

 March 6th, the cause of the Birds had a 

 champion who will not readily be replaced, 

 one who was instant and active in every 

 danger that menaced them, whether it was 

 the Egret hunted down for its plumes or 

 the Penguin massacred for its oil. She 

 joined the Society in 1893, and her last letter 

 tq it is dated from her sick-bed only a week 

 ybefore her death. Her interests were many 

 ^and wide, but her sympathies were unchang- 

 ing, and she never lacked the courage of her 

 convictions. 



BIRD-WATCHING IN 1918. 



Most interesting reports from the Society's 

 Watchers were presented at the meeting 

 of the Watchers Committee on March 5th, 

 and satisfactory accounts were given of 

 the nesting of Ravens, Peregrines, Buzzards, 

 Choughs, Skuas, Terns, Ringed and Kentish 

 Plover, Norfolk Plover, Redshank, Gannets, 

 Guillemots, Eider Ducks, Phalaropes, Great 

 Northern Divers, and many other species. 

 As in previous years the war did not appear, 

 on the whole, to affect the birds adversely, 

 several Watchers referring to the consequent 

 absence of " troublesome human visitors " 

 in the form of trippers. Little trouble was 

 experienced with the troops, and where any 

 occurred a letter to the Officer Command- 

 ing at once put a stop to it. Several of the 

 Shetland Watchers were visited by the 

 Senior Naval Officer, Admiral Greatorex, 

 who not only rendered signal service to the 

 Society in regard to possible damage by 

 naval men, but who expressed his pleasure 

 in the work done by the Society and his 

 appreciation of the excellent service rendered 

 by its Watchers. One attempt was made 

 to lift a clutch of Bonxie's eggs, but the 

 offender was caught and the eggs replaced. 



At Dungeness, aeroplanes constantly flew 

 low over the birds' nesting ground, but the 

 birds were apparently undisturbed. 



More serious were side-issues of the war. 

 The collection of Gulls' eggs for human food 

 gave an uneasy time in many breeding 

 areas. At Dungeness great care was taken 

 that other species should not be disturbed, 

 but elsewhere results were less satisfactory, 

 as the idea became prevalent that any and 

 every egg might be taken. In another 



district it was mentioned that the felling 

 of trees had robbed certain birds of their 

 nesting-places ; and in the Shetlands par- 

 ticularly the shortage of men gave an excep- 

 tionally arduous time to those acting as 

 Watchers, who, nevertheless, performed their 

 task with admirable efficiency. 



In two or three cases birds had trouble 

 with their own kind. In Ennerdale the 

 Buzzards drove off the Ravens from their 

 old quarters, and the Ravens apparently 

 could find no others to their liking ; and 

 in Anglesey the presence of Ravens had a 

 disturbing effect on the Terns. 



On Brean Down all the birds did well, 

 and, apart from official correspondence, 

 several letters have been received from 

 visitors bearing testimony to the increase 

 of all bird-life there since it has been a 

 protected area under the care of the R.S.P.B. 

 The nesting of Ravens in Cheddar Cliffs, 

 after an interval of twelve years, is attributed 

 to the protection they receive at Brean. 



One loss deplored is that of the old White- 

 tailed Eagle of North Roe, who after years 

 of loneliness since the death of her mate, 

 has disappeared, having probably died a 

 natural death. She was the last of the 

 Sea-Eagles of the Shetlands. The tame 

 pair of Richardson's Skuas breeding on 

 one of the islands continue to visit the 

 Watcher's hut on their arrival, before 

 beginning to nest, " and when their two 

 young were hatched duly conducted them 

 to the hut, to be introduced to their friend 

 and guardian." Some of the Orkney wild 

 Ducks seem to be developing a similar 

 friendliness, for it is reported that some of 

 the youngsters strayed up to the Watcher's 

 house, and had to be restored to the loch ! 



The Orkney Phalaropes, Tintagel Choughs, 

 and Dungeness Kentish Plover did paiti- 

 cularly well ; and in more than one area 

 rare birds occurred which were previously 

 unknown. 



The bird-rests on St. Catherine's, the 

 Caskets, and South Bishop Lighthouses 

 continue to save valuable bird-life during 

 the spring and autumn migrations, Wheat- 

 ears, Flycatchers, Warblers, and other 

 species crowding on to them during the 

 nights and early mornings of their journeys. 



