The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 7/The Birds of the Moy Estuary and the Surrounding District
Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus.—Very numerous, and increasing in numbers every year, causing great annoyance to farmers by eating the young turnip plants when they have assumed the rough leaf, just after escaping the ravages of the fly. In winter also, during frosty and snowy weather, they eat off the top leaves and expose the turnips to the full effects of the frost. In our fruit garden they are equally destructive, eating the entire crop of yellow gooseberries, none of which can be saved unless the bushes are netted. Last season, when the yellow ones were protected by nets, the Pigeons attacked the red gooseberries, and did a great amount of damage.
Rock Pigeon, Columba livia.—Very common round the bold rocky coasts, breeding in caves and holes.
Turtle Dove, Columba turtur.—Has only twice come under my notice here, namely, on August 27th and October 6th, 1862, upon each of which days I observed a solitary bird feeding in a stubblefield, and, as I saw no appearance of any crescent on the neck, I concluded they were young birds reared in the neighbourhood, probably among the young larch and fir plantations at Belleek.
Pheasant, Phasanius colchicus.—Has been introduced into this district by several gentlemen, and appears to thrive very well.
Partridge, Perdix cinerea.—Common, and of late years increasing in numbers.
Quail, Coturnix vulgaris.—Although resident, not common, and by no means so plentiful here as in the South of Ireland.
Red Grouse, Tetrao scoticus.—Common throughout the mountains and on extensive heathy tracts.
Order Grallatores.
Golden Plover, Charadrius pluvialis.—Resident and common, but thousands of migratory birds are added to the number of the home-bred birds every autumn, and throughout the winter large "stands" rest by day on the sandy flats of the Estuary near Bartragh, and are most numerous when the moon is full.
Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula.—Very common in winter. A few pairs breed on Bartragh, where I have found the nests a short distance above high-water mark: they were merely slight hollows scratched in the sand, and every nest that I saw was lined with little bits of broken cockle-shells. I have met with a few pairs in summer on the shores of that fine fresh-water lake, Lough Conn, and have no doubt that they breed wherever there are sandy bays on the margin of the lake.
Gray Plover, Squatarola cinerea.—Met with in very limited numbers on the sands and shores during the winter, generally not more than one or two birds being seen together; but towards the latter end of March and beginning of April they commence to collect together preparatory to leaving for their summer haunts. On the 29th March last I saw a flock of nearly thirty birds on the sands near Bartragh, and shortly afterwards saw a flock of eighteen flying past. They frequently remain as late as June before leaving for their breeding quarters. Near Bartragh, on the 29th June, 1860, I saw a flock of thirteen Gray Plovers, two of which showed the black breast peculiar to the summer plumage, and on April 23rd, 1875, near the same place, I saw a flock of nine, two of which had black breasts.
Lapwing, Vanellus cristatus.—Very common, and breeds on all the low swampy lands throughout the country, but in autumn their numbers are increased by thousands of new arrivals from the north, at least I see no other way of accounting for the multitudes that are to be seen everywhere, especially on the sands, which is the more strange as they seldom feed by day unless when the nights are dark. They frequent the sands in large numbers up to December, and by the middle of that month the flocks are much reduced in numbers, and become more so as the season advances, probably by many of the birds going farther south. In February and March there is a partial return of the flocks to the coast, but not in such numbers as appear in September and October.
Turnstone, Strepsilas interpres.—A regular visitant, appearing generally in August and September, and remaining occasionally as late as May and June.
Sanderling, Calidris arenaria.—Common during autumn and spring on the shores the bay and estuary. Sometimes to be seen in May, and frequently in August, when many still retain some of their summer plumage.
Oystercatcher, Hæmatopus ostralegus.—Common, and may be seen sometimes in flocks of a hundred birds. I have not yet discovered any breeding haunt in the district.
Heron, Ardea cinerea.—There are several heronries in the district, so that the species is not uncommon.
Curlew, Numenius arquata.—Frequents the bay and estuary in immense numbers, and even in summer a good many may be seen about the shores, although, so far as I am aware, none breed within the district.
Whimbrel, Numenius phæopus.—A spring and autumn migrant, appearing in May, and again in August, but in autumn it is not seen in such numbers as in spring.
Redshank, Totanus calidris.—A very common species, and early in July a few, on their return from the breeding grounds, may be seen assembling on the shores of the little islands near Roserk Abbey (probably birds bred in the district). About the end of the month hundreds of both young and old assemble at the same place, and some of the young have the feathers of the wings not quite pointed, showing that their nesting-place could not be far away, since no birds with the wings not fully grown could take a long flight. Their early gathering also seems to indicate the nearness of their breeding haunts. These large flocks remain about Roserk for about a month or six weeks, after which they separate into smaller flocks, and by the end of October their numbers have diminished down to the usual winter stock of Redshanks frequenting the shores.
Spotted Redshank, Totanus fuscus.—I first met with this rare bird in the great frost of January, 1867: it was feeding in a little muddy bay between Moyview and Killanley, and, as I was returning from snipe shooting, I wished to discharge my gun, as a preparation for washing, and seeing a Redshank feeding a long way off I took a chance shot at it, and fortunately knocked it over. My dog fetched it, but as it was nearly dark at the time I only remarked that its bill and legs were very long and slender, and thinking it merely a variety of the Redshank I put it into my bag, unconscious of having secured such a prize—the second example of the species known to have been obtained in Ireland. My next meeting with the Spotted Redshank was in January, 1869, when one day my attention was attracted by the very peculiar cry of a sandpiper flying at a great height over Roserk, and as I never before heard a similar call I was much puzzled to find out what bird it was. Again, on the 13th September of the same year, I started a sandpiper off the Moyview shore, which uttered the same peculiar callnote, and surprised me by its wild and powerful flight. It rose from the shore like a wild snipe, soaring to a great height and going right off out of sight, so unlike the habit of other sandpipers. I next heard the call near the island of Baunros on November 15th, 1871, and again on November 27th, 1874; and I both saw and heard the bird on the 23rd April, 1875, when passing Baunros in my punt, but it was so wild that I was unable to get a shot at it. Although I went on two occasions to the island I was always unsuccessful, and after the 25th the bird disappeared altogether for the season. My next meeting with it was on September 4th, 1876, when I heard it call as it flew along the shore here, and afterwards saw and heard it on several occasions, but although most anxious to obtain it, I was always unsuccessful, owing to its great wariness. On the 30th October I was in my punt near Roserk, when I got a close view of the bird resting on the strand amongst a flock of Redshanks. As the punt drifted near, the latter made off, but the stranger ran along the shore before the boat, calling loudly. I was well able to see its long slender bill and legs (so very different from those of the common bird), and the streak between the eyes and bill, and when it flew off the dark wings also proved that it was the Spotted Redshank. After leaving the shore, it flew a couple of hundred yards away to another island, and as it was alone I easily got a shot from the punt and knocked it over—the third Spotted Redshank known to have been obtained in Ireland. My curiosity as to what bird uttered the peculiar calls that had so long puzzled me was thus satisfactorily gratified.
Green Sandpiper, Totanus ochropus.—A very rare visitant, and only twice obtained here. The first I shot at a little lough on the 13th January, 1866, and the second was shot at the same place on August 25th, 1874, by Mr. A.G. More, who saw a pair there.
Common Sandpiper, Totanus hypoleucos.—A regular summer visitant to all the lakes and rivers.
Greenshank, Totanus glottis.—Common. It very probably breeds on the shores of some of the little bay lakes, as I have met the young birds on the shores here as early as July 6th, but the main flocks do not appear before the end of that month.
Avocet, Recurvirostra avocetta.—Has only once come under my notice. On October 28th, 1875, I was returning from Bartragh in my punt, with the gun unloaded, when just before reaching the landing-place I noticed a pair of birds feeding with some Greenshanks in the shallow water on the sand-bank. They looked so very white in the evening light that at first I took them to be albino Greenshanks; however, as the boat approached, the Greenshanks went off, leaving the other birds still feeding, and when I got closer to them I saw they were Avocets. Being very tame they allowed me to bring the boat within eight or ten yards of them, from which distance I watched them feeding for a long lime—in fact, until the evening light began to fail. Next day I saw them resting on the shore, but being unable to get a shot, I asked my friend Captain Dover to look out for them when out with his punt-gun. A few days afterwards he obtained both birds at a shot, one of which he kindly gave to me, and the other he presented to the Royal Dublin Society's Museum.
Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa melanura.—Rare on this part of the coast. A bird in full summer plumage was shot on the tidal part of the river near Belleek by Mr. Howley some time in May, 1863. A solitary bird has occasionally come under my notice in winter, but until last winter I never obtained a specimen. On the 6th November last I got a very fine bird in winter plumage, and at the same shot bagged thirteen lapwings, thirteen Redshanks, and a Bartailed Godwit.
Bartailed Godwit, Limosu rufa.—Common in the bay and estuary during winter, but seen in greatest numbers in spring and early summer. These birds begin to assemble in large flocks about the beginning of March, increasing in numbers all through that and the following month,—probably coming from more southern haunts,—and although some leave during April, yet large flocks remain about the estuary all through May and even up to the middle of June, and strange to say, all, with few exceptions, exhibiting no trace of the red summer plumage. I saw a flock of over one hundred birds near Bartragh on June 11th, 1872, and another large flock on the 14th of that month. In 1873 I saw large flocks on June 17th, all in the pale plumage, and on three occasions only have I seen any in the red plumage. On the 10th June, 1852, I noticed two red-breasted birds amongst a flock of fifty pale-coloured ones. On June 2nd, 1866, amongst a flock of Knots and light-coloured Godwits, I observed another pair of the latter with red breasts; and some time in May, 1876, I saw one red-breasted bird amongst a very large flock of pale-coloured ones. It appears to me very doubtful whether the birds seen in the paler coloured plumage so late in the season would assume the red breasts at all that summer.
Curlew Sandpiper, Tringa subarquata.—Occasionally seen on the sands between Bartragh and Killala in September and October, but I have not met with it later in the season. This species probably moves farther south after the latter date. When associating with Dunlins it may be easily distinguished by its peculiar note and white rump.
Dunlin, Tringa alpina.—Although common, is not seen in such large numbers as in Cork Harbour or other estuaries having extensive mud-banks instead of sandy flats, the soft mud affording richer feeding grounds. I have observed Dunlins on the moory shores of Lough Conn in June, where I am certain numbers have nests every season. Of those seen, all exhibited the black breast peculiar to the summer plumage, and from their manner of flight indicated the fact of nests being somewhere near.
Purple Sandpiper, Tringa maritima.—A regular winter visitant, sometimes remaining till early summer. I have seen them on the rocks of Kilcummin Head as late as May 24th; and many years ago I remember meeting with a flock on the coast between Cork Harbour and Robert's Cove on May 17th.
Knot, Tringa canutus.—Abundant on the sandy flats of the estuary between Bartragh and Killala. I once heard the calls of a flock passing overhead on August 25th, and I have seen a flock on the sands here on June 2nd.
Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola.—Common in winter. During the severe frost of January, 1867, when snow covered the ground for twelve days, and most of the springs were frozen, numbers of Woodcocks were driven down to the coast. They used to lie along the shore amongst the sea-weed when the tide was out, and great numbers were killed on the coast between Eastkey and Enniscroon by the country people, who stalked them from behind rocks and large stones, and when they rose knocked them down with sticks. Some of the people became so expert at this mode of killing Woodcocks, that they used to secure several couples in a day.
Snipe, Scolopax gallinago.—Common, and breeds throughout the district. Sometimes during sharp frosts they suffer severely and die off in great numbers. During the severe winter of 1854–55 they were nearly all exterminated in this way, and it took a couple of years to recruit even a moiety of their usual number. Again in 1867 a great number were destroyed by the cold and want of food.
Jack Snipe, Scolopax gallinula.—Common in winter. During snow it occasionally collects in numbers at some favourite spring or sheltered stream.
Land Rail, Crex pratensis.—A common summer visitant.
Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus.—Resident, though seldom seen, unless driven by frost from its concealment in the caves along the banks of the streams it frequents.
Waterhen, Gallinula chloropus.—Very common.
Coot, Fulica atra.—Common and resident.
(To be continued.)
- ↑ Continued from p. 242.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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