NOTES FROM REDCAR. 97 



On October 25th, wind still easterly, a large flight of Hooded 

 Crows came over ; about two hundred were seen passing Eedcar 

 from 8 a.m. to noon, and a flock of about sixty was seen at the 

 Breakwater at 8 a.m. An Owl — which, from the description 

 given me, could have been nothing but a Snowy Owl — came from 

 seaward, passed a knot of fishermen standing near Eedcar Pier, 

 and flew over the town. Two Woodcocks were seen. I saw two 

 Snow Buntings, the first of the season, at the Breakwater ; two 

 Eedwings were also seen at the same place. A Hoopoe was 

 reported to have been seen near Eedcar, in the same field where 

 one was shot last year. Of course half the gunners in the neigh- 

 bourhood were on the look out for it, but I believe it managed to 

 escape with its life. 



On October 26th, from 6 a.m. to noon, a large flight of Hooded 

 Crows passed. A Short-eared Owl was shot and a Jack Snipe 

 caught asleep on Coatham Sands early in the morning ; wind 

 E.N.E. A few Hooded Crows passed each morning from the 

 27th to the 31st. On the 28th an adult Gannet was washed 

 ashore ; many Guillemots at sea flying N.W. ; I saw three Velvet 

 Scoters in the Tees, in company with a large flock of Common 

 Scoters. On the 29th, stormy, N.E. gale, hail showers, two 

 Woodcocks flew in among the boats. On the 30th an adult Gannet 

 was picked up dead on the beach. On the 31st Guillemots at sea 

 flying east. Six Great Northern Divers flying east. An immature 

 Turnstone was shot east of Eedcar by my friend Mr. Wood. This 

 is an exceptionally late date on which to find this species with us. 



On November 1st I saw a large flock of about fifty Snow 

 Buntings, evidently fresh arrivals, near the Tees-mouth. On the 

 2nd, wind light S.E., a continuous flight of Peewits. On the 4th, 

 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., an immense flight of Peewits, in large 

 flocks of from fifty to two hundred ; many of them settled in the 

 fields behind the sand-hills, in company with Golden Plover. At 

 7 a.m. an immense flight of Starlings was observed at the Break- 

 water ; the numbers were roughly estimated at a million, dark- 

 ening the air and making a noise like thunder ; they came from 

 eastward and flew west. On the 7th a few Hooded Crows and 

 Snow Buntings came from seaward. On the 8th I saw a Great 

 Northern and three Bed-throated Divers at sea, going east. 



