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  MIGRATION 
  OF 
  BIRDS 
  IN 
  NORTH-EAST 
  LINCOLN- 
  

   SHIRE 
  IN 
  THE 
  AUTUMN 
  OF 
  1903. 
  

  

  By 
  G. 
  H. 
  Caton 
  Haigh. 
  

  

  The 
  autumn 
  of 
  1908 
  was 
  characterized 
  by 
  extremely 
  cold 
  

   and 
  wet 
  weather, 
  with 
  a 
  prevalence 
  of 
  strong 
  winds, 
  chiefly 
  from 
  

   points 
  between 
  N.E. 
  and 
  S.W. 
  Large 
  tracts 
  of 
  country 
  were 
  

   repeatedly 
  flooded 
  in 
  the 
  marsh 
  district, 
  especially 
  during 
  August 
  

   and 
  September. 
  Indeed, 
  all 
  the 
  meteorological 
  conditions 
  were 
  

   as 
  unfavourable 
  to 
  the 
  passage 
  of 
  migrants 
  as 
  can 
  possibly 
  be 
  

   imagined. 
  Consequently 
  there 
  was 
  very 
  little 
  visible 
  migration, 
  

   and 
  the 
  bulk 
  of 
  the 
  birds 
  passed 
  in 
  two 
  great 
  rushes. 
  The 
  first 
  

   commenced 
  on 
  Sept. 
  19th, 
  lasting 
  until 
  the 
  26th, 
  and 
  was 
  the 
  

   most 
  remarkable 
  movement 
  that 
  has 
  occurred 
  during 
  recent 
  

   years, 
  not 
  only 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  abundance 
  of 
  birds, 
  but 
  also 
  of 
  

   the 
  large 
  number 
  of 
  species 
  represented. 
  Among 
  these 
  the 
  most 
  

   conspicuous, 
  and 
  by 
  far 
  the 
  most 
  abundant, 
  was 
  the 
  Redstart, 
  

   but 
  the 
  Pied 
  Flycatcher, 
  Willow-Wren, 
  and 
  Goldcrest 
  were 
  very 
  

   numerous. 
  The 
  weather 
  conditions 
  prevailing 
  at 
  the 
  time 
  were 
  

   such 
  as 
  might 
  be 
  expected 
  to 
  produce 
  a 
  great 
  movement. 
  A 
  long 
  

   spell 
  of 
  unfavourable 
  conditions 
  coming 
  to 
  an 
  end 
  on 
  Sept. 
  18th, 
  

   and 
  giving 
  place 
  to 
  a 
  period 
  of 
  fine 
  weather, 
  with 
  light 
  E. 
  and 
  

   S.E. 
  winds. 
  

  

  The 
  only 
  similar 
  migratory 
  movement 
  during 
  recent 
  years 
  

   occurred 
  at 
  the 
  same 
  period 
  of 
  1892, 
  and 
  comprised 
  many 
  of 
  the 
  

   same 
  species. 
  They 
  were 
  not, 
  however, 
  so 
  abundantly 
  repre- 
  

   sented, 
  and 
  the 
  rush 
  was 
  of 
  shorter 
  duration. 
  

  

  The 
  second 
  movement, 
  in 
  mid-October, 
  was 
  in 
  no 
  way 
  

   remarkable, 
  and 
  calls 
  for 
  no 
  particular 
  mention. 
  Among 
  the 
  

   most 
  interesting 
  occurrences 
  of 
  the 
  season 
  was 
  the 
  appearance 
  

   of 
  the 
  Bluethroat 
  in 
  September, 
  and 
  the 
  great 
  flight 
  of 
  Rough- 
  

   legged 
  Buzzards 
  in 
  October. 
  The 
  scarcity 
  of 
  the 
  Snow-Bunting 
  

   and 
  Brambling 
  was 
  also 
  remarkable. 
  

  

  Shore-birds 
  of 
  all 
  sorts 
  were 
  more 
  numerous 
  than 
  for 
  several 
  

  

  