The Ornithology of the Dunbar Coast, by Robt. Gray 49 



rocky islets, the Peregrine has, of late years, maintained its 

 hold, and a friend mentioned to me a few days ago that he 

 had just seen a pair on Fidra. I regret, however, to add 

 that two pairs (m. and f.) have been killed there within the 

 last three months. The Merlin appears regularly in spring 

 and autumn on the links to the east of the town, in pursuit 

 of Snipes and Wheatears, for which it shews a decided 

 partiality — the last named bird being often chased into 

 rabbit holes, where it generally manages to elude capture. I 

 have observed the Short-eared Owl arriving from the sea in 

 early morning in the month of September, and have put up 

 as many as a dozen from the rocks below high water mark, 

 in the course of an hour's ramble. These were probably of 

 Scandinavian origin, though many pairs breed in Scotland 

 in localities between East Lothian and Caithness. 



The Red-backed Shrike has occurred at Broxmouth — a 

 pair having been seen, and one of the birds shot in 1856. I 

 never fail to observe the Dipper in winter and spring at 

 Broxmouth burn, its familiar habit of curtseying as it wheels 

 round on its stony perch, attracting almost daily observa- 

 tion. I have not noticed this persistent habit of frequent- 

 ing the sea shore in the Dipper elsewhere. 



In winter, Redwings and Fieldfares often appear on the 

 beach in very considerable numbers, and seek a scanty sub- 

 sistence from the heaps of decayed seaweed — the accumula- 

 tion of many storms. The Redstart is likewise found among 

 the rocks below high water mark, doubtless in quest of 

 insect prey. This bird seems to arrive with the Wheatear, 

 as I have often observed after a favourable south-east wind, 

 about the end of March or beginning of April, both species 

 in numbers along the coast. I have also observed the Sand 

 Martin, Common Martin, and Swallow arrive in the same 

 way — large flocks speeding northwards and giving off de- 

 tachments as the main body proceeded to their accustomed 

 haunts in more northerly districts. The Golden Crested 

 Wren is another bird which I have often seen arriving in 

 autumn from " over the sea," and migrating northwards in 

 spring by the coast line. 



Among the Pipits, the Meadow Fipit is sometimes very 

 abundant in winter, and the Rock Pipit is also an object of 

 daily interest during the whole of the year along the rocky 

 shores of East Lothian. I may here refer to the occurrence 



