ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. By G. BOLAM 95 



upwards of a dozen being seen together at one place. At 

 the same time many Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts, and Ring 

 Ouzels were observed, as well as two Nightjars, showing 

 that a regular wave of migration had been arrested on the 

 island. On the same day (22nd May) I watched a pair in 

 the Cockleman's Dene, near Kyloe, where they were busily 

 engaged in catching insects upon the wing about some old 

 willow trees, and I had hoped that they might remain to 

 nest there, but they did not. On 24th May a male appeared 

 at Heiferlaw Bank, and I was informed by Mr Joseph Oliver 

 that a pair had been seen near Little Ryle, about the place 

 where they had nested in the previous year. In the Duke 

 of Northumberland's Park, at Alnwick, quite five or six 

 pairs remained to breed in 1898, the young birds in one 

 nest being about half grown on 17th June. This nest was 

 in a hole, in the bole of a large ash tree, at a height of 

 quite thirty feet from the ground, the same site having been 

 occupied, to my knowledge, in three successive years. 



In 1899, Pied Flycatchers first came under my notice on 

 the afternoon of 10th May, when three beautiful males were 

 observed in my father's garden in Ravensdowne, Berwick, 

 a male Redstart and one or two Willow Wrens being also 

 present at the same time. The weather at this time was 

 thick and fogg)', with a very slight northerly breeze, and 

 remained so till the 14th, and during that time Flycatchers 

 and other migrants were very numerous. This is quite in 

 accordance with previous experience, and goes to show that, 

 either in autumn or spring, misty weather is by far the 

 best for the observation of migration on our shores. The 

 fog interferes with the vision of the birds, and compels them 

 to descend to the ground, and they are either unable, or 

 unwilling, to continue their journey till the weather has 

 cleared again. In some cases, as in that of the Pied Fly- 

 catchers, the birds, finding themselves in suitable breeding 

 quarters, are tempted to stay, and returning again in 

 succeeding years, have so founded a colony which has gone 

 on increasing and spreading. 



Between the 10th and 14th May, Pied Flycatchers were 

 everywhere to be met with. In Berwick itself there must 

 have been a large number. They attracted attention in 



