A YEAR AT FAIR ISLE 95 



Black-headed Gulls, many with the last. Yellow 

 Bunting, one. Short-eared Owls, three. Wigeon and 

 Teal, plentiful. Mergansers, five. Mallard, one. Swan, 

 one. Greenfinches, five. Glaucous Gull, an immature 

 bird. Lapwings, fifteen. 



215/ October. — Southerly, but wind decreased ; colder. 



Redwings much scarcer. Siskins still here. Ducks 

 plentiful. Wood- Lark, one. Lapwings increased, thirty 

 seen. Goldcrests, many still here. 



22nd October. — South-south-west, strong breeze. 



Fieldfare, a dozen arrivals. Yellow Buntings, two. 

 Richard's Pipit, one. Siskins, eight still here. Lap- 

 wings, further increase. Linnet, one. Lesser Black- 

 backed Gull, an adult. Goldcrests scarcer. 



i'^rd October. — South-south-west breeze. 



Great Northern Diver, one. Woodcocks, numerous. 

 Siberian Chiffchaff, one. Fieldfares, increase. Richard's 

 Pipit, one again seen. 



24M October. — South breeze ; clear. 



Woodcocks especially numerous to-day. Over the 

 hills these birds could be roused from beside every little 

 tussock and clod of earth, and many crouched by the sides 

 of stones. Even on the crofts and cultivated land 

 individuals were seen, and some were flushed out 

 of cabbages. They also resorted to the cliffs, on the 

 grassy ledges of which Woodcocks could be seen from the 

 edge of the cliff — always sitting in one position, namely, 

 with their tails up and their bills down. About three 

 hundred at least were in the isle. Two Richard's Pipits 

 were seen together. It is notable that these birds always 

 affected the sides of the braes and open country, where it 

 was impossible to approach them. Fieldfares, more 

 numerous. Long-eared Owls, two'. Blackbirds, very 



