The Zoologist/4th series, vol 2 (1898)/Issue 684/White Wagtail (''Motacilla alba'') in Ireland

by Robert Warren

 

WHITE WAGTAIL (MOTACILLA ALBA) IN
IRELAND.

By Robert Warren.

 

So very little was known of this Wagtail in Ireland, that William Thompson had never met an Irish specimen, and he thus speaks of it in his work on the 'Birds of Ireland':—"Is believed to be at least an occasional visitant. It is included on the following testimony. In a letter to me from Mr. R. Ball, dated Dublin, June 19th, 1846, it was stated that a few days before, when at Roundwood, he had seen a specimen of the true M. alba, as distinguished from M. yarrellii. He remarked:—'We watched it for some time, though at a short distance from us, with a small telescope used for such purposes; its beautiful plumage was very distinct from that of the common species, and its habit much more sedate than usual with Wagtails; "it wagged" but little, and walked about demurely. I am sure that I have often seen the species before. As the bird was not obtained, its occurrence would not be inserted here without my perfect reliance on the knowledge and acute observation of my informant."

Such was all the meagre information that was obtained by Mr. Thompson of this bird in Ireland, and nothing more was heard of the species until April 25th, 1851, on which day I had the good fortune of shooting, on the island of Bartragh, the first authentic specimen known to have been obtained in Ireland. I met the bird in a field where some men were sowing barley, and as it followed the harrows, picking up insects. My attention was attracted by its quiet demeanour and light grey plumage, so different from that of our native Wagtails, and after observing it for some time it occurred to me that it might be the rare M. alba, so, drawing the larger shot from my gun that I had for Rabbits, I put in a charge of No. 8, and knocked the bird over at the first shot. On picking up and examining it, I felt confident that it was the rare Wagtail; but, to be certain of its identity, I sent the specimen to my old friend the late Dr. J.R. Harvey, of Cork, and he wrote to say that he "had no doubt of its being the true M. alba, but that, unfortunately, it had been so long delayed in the Post Office, that on its arrival it was unfit for preservation, and to his great disappointment the specimen was lost."

For several years after nothing more was seen or heard of the White Wagtail, until April 29th, 1893, when visiting Bartragh with some friends, we met a pair of Wagtails feeding on a little wet flat piece of sand at the base of the sand-hills, and about 300 yards from where I shot the bird in 1851. These birds walked about quietly, with none of the restlessness of the common species, for probably they were tired after their long flight from Spain or Africa. After observing them for some time with my glass, and admiring their lovely plumage, I shot one, the other bird flying right off out of our sight, and we did not see it again. This specimen is now in the collection of the Museum of Science and Art, Dublin.

Having shown the bird to Mr. A.C. Kirkwood (who resides on the island), I asked him to keep a sharp look-out for these Wagtails every season during the month of April; and last season, towards the end of that month, he observed a beautiful bird in the light grey plumage, a short distance from the place where I met the pair in 1893. After looking at it for some time with his glass, he went for his gun, but in the meantime a heavy rainfall coming on drove it away to shelter, and when he returned to the place the bird had disappeared. However, this season he was more fortunate, for on two occasions he met the White Wagtail on the island, and obtained three specimens out of each flock.

He met the first lot of five birds on April 30th, feeding in a field lately sown with oats, and his attention being attracted by their light grey backs and white cheeks, he brought his glass to bear on them, observing them for a long time, as they (like the birds previously seen) walked quietly about the field, with none of the restlessness so constantly shown by the common Wagtails. He then got his gun and shot three fine birds, which he kindly brought to show me. One, a perfect type of the M. alba, was too much injured by the shot to keep for a specimen, but the other two I sent to Mr. E. Williams, of Dublin, for preservation.

Again, on May 10th, Mr. Kirkwood came across a small flock of fifteen birds, resting on a bare stony slope of a small hillock, near where he saw the bird last season. On looking at them with his glass, he observed that all were in the light grey plumage, but on approaching for a closer view they all rose from the hill, and pitched on the shore amongst the rocks and stones. Just then, a heavy shower coming on, he said it was amusing to see them seeking for shelter from the rain under the lee of the rocks. Sometimes two or three birds might be seen huddled together on the sheltered side of rocks or large stones, evincing a decided aversion to the rain wetting their plumage. These birds appeared to Mr. Kirkwood to be resting, and not inclined to feed, probably being tired after struggling against the stiff gale of N.N. W. wind that had been blowing for two or three days past; and that when passing over Bartragh they dropped down to rest a little before continuing their flight across the sea to Iceland, which was evidently their destination. Mr. Kirkwood obtained three birds out of this flock, and more lovely specimens of the M. alba I never saw, the intense black of the breast and head contrasting so strongly with the snow-white of the forehead, cheeks, and sides of neck, which extended down almost to the shoulders.

One of the specimens was very badly injured by the shots, but the other two were sent to my friend Mr. Howard Saunders, of London, who presented them to the Natural History Museum. It is a strange fact that up to the present (except on the Island of Bartragh) there is no authentic record of the capture of Motacilla alba in any other part of Ireland; and why Bartragh Island should be so favoured it is difficult to say. However, I may suggest that the birds met with on Bartragh were on their way to their breeding-haunts in Iceland; and as the direct course from their winter- quarters in Spain to Iceland would be across the sea, right over Ireland, and the straight line of flight passing over Bartragh and Killala Bay, is it not more likely that the tired birds would rest on Bartragh, the last point of land between them and Iceland, rather than on any of the more inland parts of the country? It appears to me very evident that these birds, holding such a westerly course, were going direct to Iceland; for birds making Norway and Lapland their destination would keep more to the eastward on their course, a few, perhaps, touching the English coast, while the bulk of the flight would keep along the Dutch and Danish coasts.

 

Addendum.—Through inadvertence, I omitted the fact that in 1893 a specimen was obtained on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, by Mr. Sheridan, of Slieve Mort Hotel. It may interest some readers to know that, two or three days after the flight seen by Mr. Kirkwood on May 10th had left the island, they were succeeded by a little party of five birds, which remained up to the 19th, on which day I had the pleasure of seeing three of them; and on the 26th Mr. Kirkwood, calling here, informed me that a pair of the Wagtails were still on the island, haunting an ivy-covered cliff, as if going to build there. However, I do not think it likely that they will breed, and that they were only detained from continuing their northern journey by the longcontinued north-west winds.