Pet ZOOLOGIST 

No. 850.—April 15th, 1912. 
ORNITHOLOGICAL REPORT FOR NORFOLK (1911). 
By J. H. Gurney, F.Z.S. 
Ir hardly seems like twelve months since I wrote the last 
Ornithological Report for Norfolk, but nevertheless the time has 
come round to draw up another, and I had better begin with— 
The Vernal Migration.— The spring migration must have 
commenced early—at any rate, the Rev. M. C. Bird, to whose 
notes I am always so much indebted, informs me, though not on 
his own authority, that the Chiffchaff was heard near Norwich 
on Feb. 12th, and the Wryneck on March 138th. After this 
came a spell of cold weather, so that on April 6th it was no 
surprise to see deep snow on the ground. Writing from Lowes- 
toft on that day, Mr. C. B. Ticehurst alludes to the desultory 
way in which bird migration was proceeding, such weather 
probably acting as a check upon it. 
The Crossbills had perhaps already departed; I know of 
none being seen near the sea during March and April, but 
emigration is so difficult of observation compared with immigra- 
tion. The travelling birds seldom leave our Norfolk shores 
before nightfall, and then it is impossible to see them depart, 
and their exit can only be guessed at by their absence after- 
wards, which may or may not be immediately remarked. From 
May 15th to July 26th small parties of Crossbills were probably 
moving along the coast, as between those dates they were seen 
by W. Burdett at Northrepps, the greatest number viewed by 
him being twenty-six on July 20th, very early in the morning. 
On June 19th I saw four flying rather high, and making straight 
for the sea, half a mile distant, calling as they flew over the tops 
Zool. 4th ser. vol. XVI., April, 1912. L 
