1976 The Zoologist — January, 1870. 



Ornithological Notes from North Lincolnshire. 

 By John Coedeaux, Esq. 



(Continued from Zool. S. S. 1908). 



October and November, 1869. 



Short eared Owl. — October 1. This species is a regular visitant on 

 our coast in the autumn. The beaters put up several this morning 

 from a swampy patch near the middle of one of the "beck" planta- 

 tions. 



Wild Geese.— October 5. First large flock of wild geese observed: 

 they were travelling due north. More geese have crossed this district 

 during the month than has now been the case for many years. They 

 take nearly the same line towards the N.N.W. or N., and this has 

 been their course all through October. 



" Hawnl; ! honl ! and for'aid to tlie noi'aid, is the trumpet tone." 



And let those predict who choose a hard and severe winter; this, for 

 some time to come at least, portends mild and pleasant weather. • 



Stonechat. — October 5 to 20. Several seen on the Humber embank- 

 ment and in the marsh, all immature birds ; are probably arrivals from 

 the north. This species is rarely met with in this district excepting 

 during the autumn, and occasionally in the winter months. 1 saw 

 several on the Spurn sand-hills on the lllh. 



Starling. — October 5. There can, I think, be no doubt that we 

 have large arrivals of this species on this coast in the early autumn : 

 they migrate during the night, and at this season no bird is more 

 frequently dashed to death against the Spurn lights than the starling : 

 the same is the case at Flamborough. On one thick night in the early 

 part of this month the Spurn lantern-top was crowded with a noisy 

 flock of these birds alighting there. Two immense flocks arrived in 

 the marsh about the last week in September, infinitely more than could 

 possibly have been reared in this district: these remained till the 

 middle of October. I one day endeavoured to make a rough estimate 

 of the number of birds composing the larger of these flocks: on the 

 wing, and flying in close order, they appeared to occupy a space about 

 half a mile in length, forty yards in breadth and twenty deep: on 

 alighting they covered nearly seven acres of ground. The beating of 

 so many small wings resembles the pattering of a heavy thunder 



