Swin Middle L.V.--Messrs Pender and J. Barrett:--From January 21st to April 3d, 1886; between January 21st to February 15th. Immense flights of Larks, generally during the night, and large numbers killed; also Starlings, Sparrows, and some Chaffinches. On January 24th, five flocks of small birds travelling from N.W. to S.E. On the night of February 14th to 15th, Larks still in great numbers, ninety on deck, and a great many falling into the water, "for two hours the Larks were like a shower of snow." March 28th and 29th, and April 1st, 2d, 3d, Chaffinches at intervals during the morning three or four together, all were male birds, only one female seen. "Ducks" (probably Scoters) "can be seen from this vessel eight or nine months in the year, but on February 10th, 11th, 12th, we had calms and fogs, and the Ducks sat on the water, covering about a mile, the water being black with them."
Lord Clifton writes:--"About twenty Swallows were picked up dead after the northerly gales and rain of October 13th and 14th. Seven were found huddled together alive in a duck's nesting-box in a stable, and one was found dead in a slipper in a bedroom, so desperate were the efforts of the poor birds to find warmth and shelter. House Martins were similarly overtaken." "Golden Oriole."--"On June 9th a bricklayer thought he saw one, and on the 23d a woodcutter said he both saw one and heard it whistle; our people about here are familiar with the general appearance of the bird from its having bred in this park in 1874 and 1875."
A special point of interest in the report for the East Coast of England was the large arrival of Pied Flycatchers at Spurn and Flamborough in the first week in May 1885, with a north-east wind. This immigration extended northward as far as the Pentland Skerries (see Report from the East Coast of Scotland). At Flamborough the Flycatchers were accompanied by male Redstarts.
There was an enormous arrival of Redwings, commencing at the Farn Islands on September 15th, and continued throughout October and November to the first week in December, and covering the whole east coast of England. There was also an immense immigration of Fieldfares, which was specially observed at the Longstone L.H. from November 8th to 11 P.M. on the 12th.