[From Bird-Life in the Isle of Man]

FIELDFARE

These birds arrive from the north in the Island some time in October, so far as I have seen; the earliest date which I have noted being the 2nd, when Cregeen and I saw several near Ronaldsway. On the 11th, one year, I saw the garden at Ravenscliff, Douglas, crammed with these birds, only just arrived. During their time here, they seem to come and go a great deal. Once in the middle of November I saw fully 200 at the Windy Corner on the Snaefell Road, and then saw none for days. Most of them move off north again in April. I remember on the 17th of that month finding sixty in a field below Ballacreggan, Bride, very tired, and just uttering an occasional "crack crack". One year on May 4th I saw nearly 300 in a field near Ramsey. Quite recently, on May 8th, I found the dead body of a bird on the side of Glen Roy ; it was still warm, and had probably been struck down by a hawk. Two days later, there were about twenty on a tree in Laxey Glen, and some magpies, in their usual inquisitive way, came to vex them, but the Fieldfares made very short work of them. Once in Kirby, on May 20th, I found a very wretched bird which looked quite dead beat, and was tearing at the ground near the stream as if for food. A quaint proceeding. I wondered if the bird were not mentally defective. The male bird in full summer plumage is a, splendid-looking, rusty-backed creature, and I love its very special song which I have only heard in Norway, very loud, with sudden breaks every now and then.

MISTLE-THRUSH

Like the song-thrush, one may chance to hear this bird singing during any month of the year. On November 24th, one year, I was going up to Mona Terrace, Douglas, and stopped to listen to a bird in a tree close by, which was cooing a song to itself, as it were. But I love to hear him when, from the top of a tree, he fairly lets himself go. One first of January, at Garwick, a bird was in great form when a magpie barged in. Without stopping his song, that thrush fairly saw to it that the magpie left, and he came back to continue his song in peace. The mistle is both courageous and aggressive. I have seen a sparrow-hawk glad to get away, although it tried to retire in a dignified manner. Once when we were living in Parkfield, Douglas, a mistle went for a family of rooks with such fierceness that he rammed the wire-netting round the tennis court with considerable force, which made him more angry, and he charged bull-like at some jackdaws which were looking on and, I believe, laughing; they fled incontinently ! I saw a bird near Ballacraine which made a desperate attack on a cat which was perilously near the nest, going for its face, and successfully driving it off. On the other hand, I watched a bird on a tree, which it evidently looked upon as its territory, growling loudly at a great-tit for coming on the tree; and the latter took no notice and stayed. When feeding, it seems at times to be fond of ivy berries for a change, and once I saw a bird nibbling at young holly shoots. The courting does not appear to amount to much ; I have seen a lot of chasing going on with hideous grunting noises. On another occasion I watched two pairs in a field; they walked along for a few paces, as if they had nothing to do with each other, and then stopped, with side-long glances, then on again, and finally flew over the hedge. But the funniest sight I have seen was in Kirby in January, when two females courted a male who seemed to be a crusty old bachelor, and disliked their attentions. He tried to get away, but one female, more forward than the other, chased him; he doubled back, and again she followed him, and was still after him when they disappeared. The nest is a big, untidy structure; all sorts of oddments may be used over and above the ordinary grass, moss, etc., such as wool, a large piece of old cloth, etc. The birds begin early in the year; I have found a nest nearly ready by the end of February. Once, in May, I saw the female collecting great mouthfuls of grass on our lawn for the second nest, while the male looked on, as if weary of all the business. The nest may be found high or low. One which I found was close to the road in a gorse-bush only just off the ground, with five eggs; another was in the fork of the stump of an old tree right by a road, one part of the nest against a bit of old wire fencing two feet off the ground ; another was on the side of a quarry in my garden, balanced on the top of a few brambles which were growing out of the side. Soon after the young are hatched, they are covered with white fluff, with a few feathers beginning to show. One nest which I saw contained five young, which were lying on the top of one another, as there was not enough room. At Orrisdale I found a nest in some trellis-work against a wall, so low down that a spaniel had helped himself to all but one of the chicks. Bad luck! When I visited one nest in the Nunnery, the mother hopped off and went to the stream, and drank water copiously until I left. Finally, I rather liked the birds which built a nest and reared their young in a hole at the top of the Cenotaph at King William's College. It was amusing to see father trying to feed a youngster on a branch with worms, while mother fluttered about anxiously to see that he did not do it too clum- sily. Later on in the year, these birds collect in numbers and roam the country-side, but whether they are locals or fresh arrivals it is impossible to say, but no doubt, before the nesting comes round once more, they sort themselves out.

SONG-THRUSH

We all love to hear the beautiful song of the Thrush ; and if we look out for the song, we can hear it in almost every month of the year, but not always in its full glory, of course. Sometimes the bird will only try over a few notes. I have heard some lovely singing in late November and December. I have listened to birds starting at all hours of the morning, from before 3 a.m. by Greenwich time onwards, and in full song at once. The thrush is also a great mimic. At different times I have heard good imitations of curlew, starling, wood-lark and, best of all, green wood-pecker. The courting is great fun to watch. I have seen a male crouched as if to spring at his mate, for a long time, then she would fly off easily, and he following, to start over again: a sort of cave man touch about it. Building begins early, and generally in the first days of March. I have seen a bird working furiously at pieces of grass to carry to the nest, on many occasions. The nest, a big affair, may at times be found in strange places. I found two nests near each other in a bank above a ditch, like a robin's nest, and only about two feet up. One July, a pair, I suppose weary of doing any more building on their own, took over a blackbird's nest, lined it and reared a very late brood. There was a nest which I saw at Ballakaneen, Andreas, built in the centre of a cactus kept in a small shed, and planted in a medium-sized pot which stood on top of a box. There were four eggs, and the bird perched on the box while the female sat. And does the reader know that imploring look the anxious mother gives you when she is sitting tight, and fears to move in case the eggs might get addled? It must take an awful brute to treat such a love callously, with those beautiful dark eyes. And then the young are hatched. I saw my boy, Guy, put a stick near her, and she arched her back and pecked the stick, and not a move. The thrush is indeed a brave parent. And the parents have young very early in the nesting year and very late, according to the number of broods they have. Guy and I have found half-fledged young, four of them, on April 6th. I have found three eggs apparently quite fresh, on July roth, and on August 2nd a young bird in a garden, just out of the nest and not yet able to fly. I am bound to say that I love watching the thrush when it is busy dealing effectively with a snail and its shell. My present garden is stone paved, and such flat stones come in most useful as an anvil, and sometimes the smashing process makes no end of a noise. I have no doubt the result is most enjoyable to both young and old. When the autumn days begin to come, the birds collect in parties and wander off. I watched a party once, and was much interested at two youngsters fighting, mostly consisting of the clicking of bills and glaring at each other, really very human. What these movements mean I cannot say, but it is well known that there is a sort of general post, and the birds we see to-day may be in England to- morrow. The most interesting thing about the autumn and winter movements is the arrival of these northern birds, small and very dark. I call them Hebrideans, for want of a better name. I suppose that the scientific people have settled all about them trinomially. I have seen them early in October, the 16th the earliest date, and then onwards from time to time up to March, my latest date being the zoth in Laxey Glen. Once, in November, I saw nearly forty together on Clay Head. And I know how interested my friend, Mr. Coward, is in them and their movements.

REDWING

My earliest date of the arrival of the Redwing from the north has, curiously enough, happened twice, namely, October gth, with eleven years interval. The first date was a bird dead at the Point of Ayre, the second a party which was flying in from the north, and settled near me on the Mountain Road near Ramsey. One year, in November, my son Rex and [ saw vast numbers all along the top of the mountain road. I have never seen so many, and they were so tame and so hungry. Once, at Perwick, also in November, I saw a bird which was outstanding, with specially light chestnut colouring above and very white below. I love to hear its call, like "se-ip"', almost a hiss. The song I have not heard here, but, in Norway, I loved to listen to it with its four pretty high notes, with occasionally a little trill at the end, most distinctive. I wonder if they start pairing before they leave us in the spring? I have seen two in a tree at Garwick apparently courting in March; in February even, I have seen two sitting close together on a bough, the male paying most marked attentions. They all go in April, generally early, although I did see three passing at Point of Ayre on the 25th.

RING-OUZEL

I have heard of birds being seen fairly early on the Island in March. My earliest date is the 2qth on the Rheast, when I found a bird singing finely, on a lovely, windless day. On April roth one year I found a fine male lying dead and still: warm, close to the Point of Ayre lighthouse. I have often wondered what it died of, as it had not struck the lighthouse, and had no marks of violence. Had the flight been too far and the heart given out? A fair number either stay in or pass through the Island. Once I had two birds pass me on the brows of Onchan Head, starting up from just above it as if they had just come off the sea, as of course they had. I have not had the luck to actually find a nest, but on two oc- casions, in the same wild valley, Cregeen and I have seen parents and young together in the heather ; the young were spotted and streaked in front and mottled brown-grey. On August 30th, one year, my wife and the two boys and I were having dinner at the Howstrake Hotel, when we saw a bird in the garden just below us, cocking its tail like a black- bird, where it stayed for some time. The latest date I have seen birds is September 21st, but I have known of authentic instances, told me by Captain Spittall and Captain Crellin, of much later dates. The climate as a whole is so mild that it is not surprising.

BLACKBIRD

I have never seen a blackbird quite white, but fairly frequently I have seen birds with a great deal. There was one by Begarrow Hill for some time which was nearly white. The strangest one I have seen was one which worked between the Nunnery and the Drill Hall for some months, a male; its head, nape, and fore-neck looked as if it had been badly white- washed, and there were white streaks on the back and especially on the rump, with some underneath, and a very golden bill. I must mention one which I saw at Port Erin, as, besides having its face half white each side, the bill was almost crimson. I have also seen a female with a remarkable bright rusty-red breast. Don't you love its beautiful song, though we do not hear so much of it as the thrush, especially from July to February? I have heard it on July 2nd at Garwick and again on the 14th, but this was exceptional ; and again on the 9th and 22nd of October , and on December 4th at Parkfield when it was splendid; and once on Christmas Day a bird gave my wife and myself a lovely carol in the Ballaugh Curraghs. The bird gets more plentiful every year. I remember on another Christmas Day, finding Garwick Glen overrun with them; and they are everywhere, so that it is not difficult, when the times comes, to watch the courting, such as it is. Once I saw two males courting a female by pursuing her ; the female showed a marked preference for one and joined him at last, leaving the other lamenting. Again there were two males and one female; they were spreading and cocking their tails and looking very smart. This time they fought for, and in front of, her; one got the other by the back of the neck and the latter had to clear out, a beaten bird. Once on February 29th I saw a male hopping hard ahead of the female, uttering his shrill notes, and tail erect. Then, after an interval, she followed him some way; then off he would go, and she after him again. Finally she flew on to a branch of a holly-tree, low down, cocked her tail and sort of marked time with her feet; then flew off, he after her for all he was worth and out of sight. In the second half of July, I do not know whether it was late courting or what, but there were a pair on a tree side by side ; he rattled his bill back- wards and forwards on a branch and then they both clicked their tails against each other, looking very content. The end of a happy breeding season. There is some hard work put in over the building. In my garden at Garwick I watched a female turning over dried grass and manure in a rhubarb bed, no hay- maker could have turned over hay quicker or better, thrown this way and then that, then off with a great mouthful and soon back again. One day, late in March, within a yard off the street in Avondale Garden, Douglas, I saw a female get hold of a long strip of palm-leaf, placed it in the nest, then broke off a twig or two and patted them all into position with bill and claws, a most workman-like job. At Parkfield I saw a bird busy building on March 12th; another year I found a nest all but ready on the 15th. In 1930, on the 25th, I found a nest by the roadside near Garwick with two eggs. It was in a thorn-bush almost on the ground of the hedge. On the edge of the old quarry in my garden at Garwick I noticed a nest on a ledge of rock with only a few grasses below it; she was very perturbed when I looked at her, but did not budge. Later there were three well-grown youngsters, but, alas! two days later they were drowned by the heavy rain. In another garden I saw a nest on the ground of an ivy-covered bank. Guy and I had one nest, with three eggs, on the top of a beam in a shed, lined with sheep's wool and a lot of rough twine. When first hatched the young things are quite naked and pink, but they begin very soon to show feathers. Later it is very amusing to watch the pleasure of the young fellows with their tails, cocking them up and squinting round to look at them. One young bird, well grown, had only one leg, but he got about splendidly. And then begin the wanderings here and there, to be continued until the time of the annual mating once more comes round, when, even in February, I have seen a bird out on Clay Head apparently busy at getting building stuff. How far they wander during these months I cannot say. But it is interesting to note that a bird which was ringed at St. John's in May, 1928, was killed by a cat in Peel on March 30th, 1931, not a very far call.

WHEATEAR

First come the Island migrants of the common species, in March, followed later by the bigger birds, known as the Greenland Wheatear, which eventually travel far north, but will sometimes stay and rest for some days, often deceiving persons as to the likelihood of their going to nest in unlikely places. In 1929 it had been a very hard, early March, with a good deal of snow and frost. The roth was a sunny, cold day and, to my surprise, we came on a bird in splendid plumage, on Langness, not far from the hotel. That is my earliest date for arrival, the next being a week later. Taking the Island generally, quite a considerable number stay to nest, although | think that in some years they are rather scarce owing to losses on migration. I have noticed this specially on the Ayres when at times very few are to be seen. A good many take to the Calf. In one valley, where they are generally fairly numerous, I watched a male trying to butt in on a pair, and a fight ensued, and he had to go, though he should have known better beforehand. The birds are very fond of using rabbit holes where such holes are con- venient for them, and the nests are then very far back ; or spaces under stones, whether on the ground or in walls, generally not easy to find, though I have seen nest and eggs quite open to view. The nest is made big and thick; one I remember was of bents and a little moss-lined with fine grass, some hair and white down, and had five eggs. Once in July I was up a valley and the female fairly flew at me in her anxiety for her young, "chack-chacking" away tremendously. The males are not averse to a fight: in the middle of his dancing in the air with his wings outstretched in front of his mate, I saw him have a go at asky-lark who had the impudence to look on. Another drove off a pied wagtail which was in his way. On August 15th I have seen a whole family of old and young on the Calf, and yet, by that time, some birds will be collecting to return south. There was a party near Scarlett on September 15th and a male got hold of a huge worm, so big that it did not know how to tackle it, and finally it worked it off by sections. Most are gone by October. One year on the 8th I was on the top of Cronk-ny-eary-lhaa, the only other occupant being a lovely bird of the Greenland species ; and one year I had one on Langness on the 15th. But there are two very much later dates which I have; one on October 30th near Brandy Cottage, and one on November 6th near Castletown. And I always look forward to next March and the joy of seeing these lovely creatures once again, D.V.

WHINCHAT

This bird passes through the Island both in the spring and autumn, but, from my observations, in no numbers. My earliest date is April 24th, when I came on a male on the Ayres, which was singing its broken song. Once on the 26th I saw a splendid male perched by a pond near Michael. I have seen them in several other places such as Ballaugh, Lezayre »t. Jude's, and twice on the Calf. I am quite certain that they have remained to nest, and possibly do so regularly in small numbers. One year on June 23rd up Laxey Glen, Cregeen and I found some young just able to get about, with the old birds hovering near In a great state of anxiety. At the end of June we found in the Corony Valley, two males singing away on gorse-bushes in a manner that would suggest that their mates were sitting on nests somewhere near, though, we failed to disturb them; but our lime was limited. On August 6th, one year, I noted a young bird about, as if it had just arrived at Scarlett : an early date, although possibly a locally bred bird. Later in August I have seen several birds in different years ; on the Ayres, Langness, etc.; and the latest date is September 17th, when. I saw a very tired bird near Ronaldsway.

STONECHAT

This bird is in big numbers in the Island, in some places it swarms. When in its full summer plumage it looks so splendid with black head, big white collar and red breast, a different looking creature to the same bird in sombre winter dress. The male gets singing early in March. I actually heard a bird on Langness trying a bit on February 22nd and singing fully on the 27th. It is a poor thing in songs, and I lmagine that most people would never notice it, (he courting I confess I do not know well, although I have seen so much of these birds. What I have seen has been mostly dancing in the air by the male and singing at the same time. In December I have seen advances being made by flitting about in a coy way, very amusing to watch; later much flying after each other. Later on I have seen the male clacking loudly and displaying for the female which, most of the time, had her back to him. Once on May 18th I saw a male singing and dancing in the air and dis- playing, but there was no female to be seen; was it just joie de vivre, and why not? The numbers of nests I have seen, mostly found by Cregeen, who is a nailer on spotting them, are enormous, and, almost invariably, well concealed : mostly in or under heather or gorse. I hada nest with four eggs on the ground. in bracken, very deep, of grass, lined with hair and small white feathers; most artistic. Guy and I had a nest with five eggs on the ground in thick grass, and of grass with a few feathers. I have seen one in a hedge just like a robin's nest, so that I looked twice to be sure. In '32 the nesting was very early. On April 18th I found five young in a nest which was lined with both wool and feathers. The young have big yellow gapes, always ready for food. But they are early and late. I saw a bird carrying building stuff in Grenaby on July 22nd; and on the Ayres a bird carrying food on July 31st. The Calf is a great place for them; in early June I have seen anxious parents shepherding a large family, which reminds me that I have found six eggs in a nest. Then comes the autumn, and, on one occasion, I saw birds wander- ing in a cornfield with limnets and chaffinches, but that is not usual. They are generally on their own, on the brows, near the shore, mid the heather and gorse, and very cheery.

REDSTART

This bird passes through the Island both ways, spring and autumn, but, from my observations, in small numbers. Twice, on April 2 sma. ; 7th, I have se solitary bird; both near Ballaugh Curraghs Gee three others noted, the latest date being May 6th I have only three notes for return migration, the earliest being August 3rd — this was a female found dead in a garden in Douglas, the latest Soptentes 23rd, a female in Kirby which was flitting about a lot and very tame.

BLACK REDSTART

On April 25th, '22, I received a bird from the Point of Ayre which had been killed that morning.I was not quite sure whether it was a female redstart or a female black redstart, so I sent the bird to Mr Coward, who wrote back: "You will be interested to hear that the bird is not a common, but a black redstart ; it had the grey axillaries and the third to siixth primary emarginate, or rather, attenuated on outer web. According to Ralfe there is no spring migration record. What worries me is why this bird travels, at any rate occasionally, via Isle of Man and Anglesey ; it comes regularly to Great Orme on both migrations. It is a Central European nester and should take the easier.and more direct passage.This is my only spring record. I have seen birds fairly early on the autumn passage, as early as October 6th; and as late as January 7th, when my wife and | saw a female wandering about by the side of the Mountain Road, a very late record. On November and I found a male in our garden, Parkfield, when it was hopping about and feeding on the drive ; it was immature, with no white on the secondaries Alter a time it flew towards to St. Ninians: on the 5th it, or another bird like it, was in the garden again. One year, on December 21st, when walking round Noble's Hospital, I looked out into the Quadrangle, where I saw an immature bird hopping about quite happily near a garden and feeding. But it did not stay for Christmas.