Generally the returns are very light, still lighter than last year.
We have notes on about thirty-nine species of land birds from this coast; about twenty species of water birds; and about eight species of littoral species, or wading birds.
The spring migration, for sake of uniformity with the East Coast, I have kept separate. Weather notes are included in the General Remarks.
'79 '80 '81 '82 '83 * * * 81. Cape Wrath, Sutherland 400 ft. * * * * 82. Rhu Stoir, " 195 " Wm. Wither
* * * * * 83. Butt of Lewis 170 " A. Thompson * * * 84. Stornoway 56 " John Grierson * * * 85. Island Glass 130 " * * * * * 86. Monach Isles { 150 "} J. Youngclause { 62 "} * * 87. Ushenish 176 " * 88. Barra Head 683 " Wm. Irvine
89. Rona, Skye 222 " * * * * 90. Kyleakin, Rosshire 53 " D. M'Culloch * * 91. Isle Ornsay, Skye 58 " * * 92. Ardnamurchan Pt. Argyl. 180 " { 93. Hynish Signal Tower, } * * * * * { Tyree } 150 " Wm. Crow { 94. Skerryvore, off Tyree } * * * * * 95. Dhuheartach, S. of Ross of Mull 145 " Jas. Ewing * * * * * 96. Sound of Mull 55 " W. M'Lellan 97. Corran Ferry, Loch Eil 38 " * * * * 98. Lismore Island, Oban 103 " Alex. Murray * * 99. Fladda, Easdale 42 " * * * 100. Rhuvaal, Islay 147 " * * * * 101. M'Arthur's Head, Islay 128 " W. Maill * * * * * 102. Skervuile, Jura 73 " John Ewing * * * * * 103. Rhinns of Islay 159 " Andrew Lyall * * 104. Lochindaul 50 " 105. Mull of Kintyre 297 " 107. Devaar, Kintyre 120 " 108. Pladda, Arran 130 " * * 109. Lamlash, Arran 46 " David Waters * * 110. Turnberry, Ayrshire 96 " * * * * 111. Corsewall, Wigtonshire 112 " Robt. Laidlaw * * * * * 112. Loch Ryan, " 46 " Ralph Ewing * * * * * 113. Portpatrick, " 37 " James Begg * * * * 114. Mull of Galloway " 325 " * 115. Little Ross, Kircudbright 175 " 116. 117. 118. 119. [1880] 120.
Mr. James Youngclause, Monach lighthouse, says:--"I am sorry to have such a meagre report to send you, but birds have been awfully scarce here for some years back, and I have sent you records of all that I have seen."
I am obliged to Mr. William Irvine for the first report I have received from Barra Head, which, however, is a station which can hardly be expected to give large returns, owing to its position and great height above the sea. A daily record here for a few seasons of the movements of Gannets and rock-birds might prove of considerable interest, such as daily hours of going to and from their feeding-grounds. Such might be found also interesting to fisherfolk.