A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



257. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, 270. Puffin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.). 



Linn. 



Locally, Great Cob or Saddleback. 



An uncommon winter visitor to the sea 

 round our coast from autumn to spring. 



As the foregoing. Some remain during Occasionally found far inland after rough 



the summer but do not breed. 



258. Great Black - backed Gull. Larus 



marinus, Linn. 



As the foregoing. A record that it formerly 

 bred in the county seems doubtful (see Birds 

 of Essex, p. 264). 



259. Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus, Fabricius. 

 A rare and occasional winter visitor. 



260. Iceland Gull. Larus leucopterus, Faber. 

 A scarce winter visitor. One was shot 



near Brightlingsea on January i, 1887, and 

 another in Harwich Harbour on December 3, 

 1892 (Kerry). 



261. Kittiwake. Rtssa trtdactyla (Linn.). 



A winter visitor. Common on the coast 

 and often driven inland by storms. 



262. Great Skua. Megalestrts catarrhactes 



(Linn.). 



Locally, Turd-bird or Dung-eater. 

 A rare winter visitor to our coast. 



263. Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius poma- 



torhinus (Temminck). 

 An occasional winter visitor to our coast. 



264. Richardson's Skua. Stercorarius crepi- 



datus (Gmelin). 

 An uncommon winter visitor to our coast. 



265. Buffon's Skua. Stercorarius parasiticus 

 (Linn.). 



An occasional winter visitor to our coast. 



266. Razorbill. Aka torda, Linn. 



Fairly common at sea round our coast from 

 autumn to spring. There are in the county 

 no breeding sites suited to its needs. 



267. Guillemot. Uria troile (Linn.). 



As the foregoing. The ' ringed ' variety is 

 met with occasionally. 



268. Black Guillemot. Uria grylle (Linn.). 

 A rare winter visitor. One was shot at 



Mersea in December 1869. 



weather. 



Great Northern Diver. Colymbus glacia- 

 Ks, Linn. 



Locally, Loon or Sprat-loon. 

 Fairly common at sea off our coast during 

 winter. 



272. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, 



Linn. 



As the foregoing, but less common. After 

 severe storms individuals are sometimes found 

 far inland. 



273. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septen- 



trionalis, Linn. 

 Locally, Sprat-loon. 



As the foregoing, but very much more 

 abundant. 



274. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes cristatus 



(Linn.). 



An uncommon winter visitor to our coast. 

 It has bred in the county, so far as is known, 

 on one occasion only near Walton-on-the- 

 Naze in 1888 (see Birds of Essex, p. 275). 



275. Red-necked Grebe. Podicipes griseigena 



(Boddaert). 



An uncommon visitor to our coast from 

 autumn to spring. 



276. Slavonian Grebe. Podicipes auritus 



(Linn.). 

 As the foregoing. 



277. Eared Grebe. Podicipes nigricollis 



(Brehm). 

 As the foregoing. 



278. Little Grebe or Dabchick. Podicipes 

 ftuviatilis (Tunstall). 



A resident, I believe, in all or nearly all 

 parts of the county, but scarce everywhere 

 except on and near the coast, where it breeds 

 in decreasing numbers in the marsh ditches. 



279. Storm-Petrel. Procellaria pelagica, Linn. 

 A winter visitor, generally seen when 



blown in towards the coast by severe storms, 

 by which it is often driven far inland. 



280. 



269. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.). 280. Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel. Oceanodroma 



An irregular winter visitor : sometimes leucorrhoa (Vieillot). 



not uncommon, especially after severe storms, A rare straggler, occasionally blown inland 

 by which it is occasionally driven far inland. by severe storms during winter. 



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