The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 2/Ornithological Notes from Devon and Cornwall during the Autumn of 1876

by John Gatcombe

 

ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL DURING THE AUTUMN OF 1876.

By John Gatcombe.

 

On my return to Plymouth I went to see the variety of Yellow Bunting mentioned in my last notes (2nd ser. 5146), and found it to be really of a bright yellow canary-colour, and not light buff, like Mr. Bond's specimen. To show how nearly it resembled a Canary in colour, I was told by the birdstuffer that when it was first brought to him, seeing that it was in a rough and mutilated condition, and not for a moment doubting it to be a Canary, he advised the servant to take it back to his master, with the message that he did not consider it worth preserving. This the man did, but brought it again the next day, saying that his master particularly wished it to be stuffed, that it was shot on Dartmoor, and hoped he would try to do his best with it; upon which Mr. Peacock examined the bird more closely than he did at first, and found, to his surprise, that it was not a Canary but a Yellow Bunting.

Some Scoters were obtained in Plymouth Sound on the 3rd of October, one of which was a very fine adult male. On the following day a white Swallow was killed at Huntshill, near Bridgwater. On the 14th an immature white Spoonbill was brought to Plymouth Market, which was killed on the banks of the St. Germans river, Cornwall. On the 21st a young Black Tern was shot in Plymouth Sound, and other Terns seen. The last Wheatear noted by me for the season was seen on the rocks at the Devil's Point, Stonehouse, on the 23rd of the same month.

A young Red-throated Diver, shot in the Sound, had the stomach crammed with Sprats: a common name for this species is Sprat Loon. The contents of the stomach of a Cormorant, killed the same day, consisted of three Wrasses of a tolerably good size. A young Merganser was also obtained in Plymouth Sound, and its stomach was found to contain several Blennies, showing that it must have been fishing close to the rocks.

Several Long-eared Owls were brought to the birdstuffers on the 30th of October, and flocks of Ring Ouzels were seen on Dartmoor. The following day I observed a Snow Bunting on the cliff's near Mount Batten. The wind was N.E., and very cold, after two days' frost. This little bird was so tame that I got within three yards of it, and then had some difficulty in frightening it away, which I did on account of there being some birdcatchers in the immediate vicinity. Further along the coast, towards the Mewstone, I observed a large Northern Diver, many Cormorants, and some Wigeon.

The Black Redstart, as usual, made its appearance on the Devonshire coast during the first week in November. On the 6th of that month I observed an immature bird on the rock at Stonehouse: on the 8th a fine old male on the rocks near the Plymouth Citadel, and on the 24th another young bird, near the Devil's Point, Stonehouse. On the 4th of November I observed about thirty Herons on the mud-banks of the river Tamar, near Warleigh, where there is a heronry. On the same day I examined six Short-eared Owls, which had been brought to the birdstuffer for preservation: they were very plentiful last season. Kingfishers were also numerous on the coast, and many were killed, I am sorry to say. The Common Gull (L. canus), I think, was rather more abundant than it has been for the last few years. Three Water Ouzels were killed on Dartmoor on the 4th: I examined their stomachs, and found that they contained nothing but insects. A Gray Shrike was seen on the moor between Lydford and Bridestowe on the 15th.

On the 22nd November, whilst walking along the coast beyond Bovisand, I observed a fine pair of Ravens and a Gannet, and surprised a Crow in a nook amongst the rocks, feeding on a dead Herring Gull. On the same day, at Burrow Island, some miles further to the east, large flocks of Sanderlings were seen, and many specimens killed, some of which I examined, and found them to have assumed their full winter dress. A young Common Tern was also obtained: this is very late in the season for this species to be found on our coast.

Some adult Great Blackbacked Gulls made their appearance in our harbour on the 25th November, no doubt in consequence of the prevailing severe gales: they do not usually arrive until after Christmas, unless the weather be very stormy. I examined a fine old male which had been shot, and found that the white of the head and neck was nearly as pure as in the breeding season, with only a few very faint dusky lines appearing.

Two Gannets were seen off Bovisand Bay on the 20th, and one was shot; the tail of this bird was so much worn that it had the appearance of having been eaten by moths, the shafts of some of the feathers alone remaining. On the 21st an immature Black-throated Diver was killed in the Sound. Although so similar to the Great Northern Diver in both its immature and winter plumage, I think this species may always be distinguished by its smaller size and the form of its bill, which is more slender and has less of an angle on the lower mandible. The ridge of the upper mandible also is slightly more curved or arched, while the top of the head and back of the neck is of a more pure and uniform gray, without any indication of the dusky band always more or less observable on that of the Northern Diver, even in its immature and winter dress.

The severe and long-continued gales in December brought an unusual number of Great Northern Divers to our coasts, and during that month I examined no less than twelve specimens, in the flesh, which had been sent to the Plymouth and Stonehouse birdstuffers for preservation: I also observed as many more in our bays and estuaries. The local papers, too, recorded the capture of several on various parts of the coast. Some Redthroated Divers were also obtained, but they were not nearly so plentiful as the Great Northern. During a heavy gale on December 5th a Gray Phalarope was seen by myself and others swimming close to the rocks near the Devil's Point, Stonehouse: it was in perfect winter plumage, and very tame, but being constantly persecuted and pelted with stones, it frequently rose and flew a short distance, each time uttering a feeble note or cry, described by the bystanders as a kind of squeak or whistle: this sound I am sorry to say I did not myself hear, being unfortunately slightly deaf, nor was I so close to the bird as some others were. I may here mention that the Gray Phalarope is rarely seen on the coast of Devon so late in the year. Cormorants and Shags were very numerous in December, frequenting the bays and estuaries during the day, and returning, singly, or in small parties, to the cliffs and high rocks towards dusk. One day I watched a Shag struggling with a large "Father-lasher" (Cottus scorpius), which it did not contrive to swallow for a quarter of an hour: Divers and Cormorants generally seem to have much trouble with this kind of fish, on account, I suspect, of its large and well-armed head. Strange to say, whilst writing this, I laid down my pen to watch with my glass a large Northern Diver in difficulties with a fish, apparently of the same kind, in the harbour, not two hundred yards from the window of the room in which I write, and this fine fellow did not seem to manage it a bit better than the Shag. But of all fish a large Flounder or Dab is to the Northern Diver by far the most troublesome to manage.

On the 11th December I saw another immature Black Redstart on the rocks at Stonehouse. There were two young male Goldeneyes in the Plymouth Market on the 16th, presumably obtained in the neighbourhood. Little Grebes at the same time were very plentiful in the rivers and estuaries; thirteen of the latter were seen together on the Laira, and several were brought to our birdstuffers; some of them, strange to say, still retaining traces of the breeding plumage, having the cheeks and sides of the neck strongly tinged with chesnut or bay, and the breast and belly clouded or spotted with dusky gray. During the same month some Long-eared Owls were killed in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, and several Oystercatchers were seen and shot on the Plymouth Breakwater.