339 



BIRD NOTES FROM THE YORK DISTRICT. 



S. H. SMITH. 



The following is the list of dates of arrival of local migratory 

 species. Many birds were much later than usual, and one 

 species, the cuckoo, noticeably early. There appeared to be a 

 much larger number of cuckoos in the district this year than 

 is usual, and a corresponding scarcity of landrails. 



Chiff Chaff, York, March 29th. 

 Wheatear, York, April 2nd. 

 Cuckoo, Fangfoss, April 4th. 

 Cuckoo, York, April 19th. 

 Cuckoo, E. Cottingwith, April 



2ISt. 



House Martin, York, April 22nd. 

 Swift, York, April 29th. 

 Turtle Dove, Skipwith, April 29th. 

 Landrail, York, May ist. 

 Whinchat, Skipwith, May 4th. 

 Sedgewarbler, Skipwith, May 4th. 

 Redstart, Skipwith, May 4th. 



Whitethroat (Common), York, April 



2nd. 

 Yellow Wagtail, Stillington, April 



13th. 

 Swallow, Huntington, April 14th. 

 Swallow, Stillington, April 27th. 

 Nightjar, Sandburn, April 29th. 

 Nightjar, Skipwith, April 29th. 

 Pied Flycatcher, Castle Howard, 



April 29th. 

 Spotted Flycatcher, York, May 2nd. 

 Blackcap, York, May 2nd. 

 Garden Warbler, York, May 2nd. 



Willow Warbler, York, April 2nd. Sand Martin, York, May 2nd. 



During the night of April i6th and 17th, from 8-30 p.m. to 

 I a.m., there was a big rush of small waders, and notes of golden 

 and grey plovers could be distinguished ; the night was clear 

 and starry and the birds were passing over Heworth travelling 

 South East. Again on the night of April igth and 20th and 

 under similar weather conditions many thousands of birds 

 were passing, and from their call notes they seemed to be 

 principally curlew, golden and grey plover. These also were 

 travelling to the South East. On April 20th I saw a large 

 flock of Fieldfares at Heworth and estimated them to be about 

 a hundred, and again on April 21st I saw what may have been 

 the same flock at East Cottingwith. This appears to be a very 

 late date for this species to remain in England.* A male 

 Sclavonian Grebe was obtained at East Cottingwith on Feb- 

 ruary loth, and is evidently one of a small party, the represent- 

 atives of which distributed themselves fairly widely during 

 January and February, as reports of observations and captures 

 were made from several quarters. A Great Crested Grebe, 

 male, in winter plumage, was picked up dead at East Cotting- 

 with on February ist. This bird had been fired at some days 

 previously and had succumbed to a pellet that had lodged 

 in its body. The shoveller duck occurred again at Skipwith, 

 but as far as I can gather only one pair attempted to breed 

 this year, and a fox took the sitting bird and destroyed the 

 eggs just at the time they were almost hatching. 



* Flocks of Fieldfares are frequently observed in the county at a later 

 date than this. — Ed. 



1912 Nov. I. 



