- 2 - 
iot> 
water Ixifront of tb© ©reeding oUffs ( Oaoaiiajally a bird, starteil to swim 
towards another 1 b to aggressiw posture. Ti» challenged am tteatcte book, 
ot;*sra joined In, until there was quit© to uproar ftm -the flock 
ten peacefully floating a few seconds before. But such outbreaks soon died 
dcnm. Only owe did I see two birds aariEtug up to a proper fljifc in this pro- 
sieat ataiP* a atarjJ&ng difference to the plot wre a fear days later on to cliffs 
Tijere was not^dag to indicate that tbs bird© viare already paired at this t mu, 
, A after its© first group was seen to the water the bii\ia started 
to visit U.e nesting ledges* In both years ito sec© met In sy colony was 
M first, probably by the am individual (t®fm*tnaataly I did not krww 
tl» o&rfts in the early days of the first season). At this sta*p the birds ear© 
- will net stay on their ledges for longer than a few minute s. 
In spite of that on© am hardly fail to notice their visi 
will deposit a tww white i mrk on the elean-wealied rock. At the slightest” 
provocation the birds will sweep out of tl» ooleny over the water as if in a 
paahy often li^oeuyring in the air In a peculiar way* suddenly t)<ey throw 
th»3ms©lvos on too side, in this way changing direction, and swoop down rapidly 
®° en ® ieQt 011 ^ After such a perfssnienae which I call evasive 
f the birds fly normally for a tlmo but may repeat to evasive action 
s©'>n aftorv/ards* It is very likely that it is fear of the unfamiliar place 
to wen os f©ar of ground predators which causes the fcutiwakes to leave the 
te-po as often* But their special manoeuvres seem to be edited gainst aerial 
rs* A chasing herring gull, for instance, is soon left behind* it is 
luirn too clumsy to follow the course of the kittiwake, which recdiidB to©- of 
track of a doubling hare. Th&re are other indications of the birds* fear 
« tf 16 2a*ad* they will not sit on top of the nesting cliff, nor collect on 
t:Xi promilng places near the Jhurn as they do later. At this early stage toy 
onij land on the ledges and on to rooks below the cliffs* nut after a few 
dayc the pantos and evasive flights become rare, the birds stay to to nesting 
places Mich longer and stand about on to cliff tape* But to preening .daces 
on top af to island mmg from the colony are still not vioited. m both years 
1 noticed to first Visits to tose at P .e h «f WtBU PfUl times toy 
coincided with the start of iptherijig of nest material from the /phoney top ©f 
to ielanl* Shis is probably no coincidence* It seems rather that only to 
b:*xus * strong urge to collect nest material can ov e roffla e t .<s ir fear of the 
land.^ aly after toy have landed Uwm on toir oolleotoj tripe do toy doro 
to ait on olie nearby rooks, but they always reuaia much steer there than on 
tie cliffs. 
:- i Uw imooB viiiah now follow pairing up takes place aod a aumBt 
riaiily ia oor<petitifla for nest sites, brx;* first seascxi with a 
>c is always specially fascinating as to many unexpected things l^eu 
; soocifl s»*:i er vidth t'!© kittl^iafees ets even more exciting b®om®e a 
puxmBta £■■ of riy old birds axm back. 
teirdo arrive usptoed hi to cdo^y. As a rule to moles \ 
Mips mid new pairs foro ha to follceiag my * lie miss 
>cy see birds oirolh^s in front of tie cliffs, tdetler sale 
aCAMofet-i cdtc/M e^Aifeuc*? ^ 
