[From Bird-Life in the Isle of Man]

GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN

For so tiny a bird — the smallest of British birds — it is surprising how much it moves about, and how far afield it goes and where it may be found. The lighthouses constantly report passing birds, sometimes in large numbers. I have a note of birds passing one May during the first five days on the 4th in very large numbers. On one occasion in October I saw about thirty near Ramsey flying with some redwings, looking not much more than big butterflies.

In the Island itself the bird may be found at times in the heather on the moor, and again in some out-of-the-way spinney on the hillside or in the thorn hedges close to habitations. But, generally speaking, it is to be found in parks and glens in the trees where, unless its call note is heard and recognized, it may pass entirely unnoticed, although it is surprising how far the sound of its squeaky little song, mostly to be heard in early spring, will carry. Actually, I have heard the song in every month of the year.

An intensely cold winter claims many victims and for a time the bird appears to become scarce; but this does not last long, as the number of nestlings of each nesting is very large.

The gold-crest is a cheery little being, always actively engaged in feeding on the branches of trees, firs and beeches being the favourites; it is scarcely ever still, and utters its little call "zi-zi" in between bites of food, so to speak.

It is by no means easy is get a good view of its chief characteristic, its lovely gold crest, which is, moreover, wanting in the young bird in its first year.

Fairly early in the year courtship begins, an interesting and amusing spectacle. Sometimes the male bird will dance in the air before its mate with wings outstretched and whirring, keeping this up for some time ; again he will pour out his very soul in excited screechy song on a branch, at the same time raising and depressing his wings, while his mate moves about him in an agitated manner. Sometimes even in his great excitement he will assault his mate, perhaps on the cave-man theory. I have seen a male knock his mate to the ground and stand over her like a gladiator with a gleaming eye. Then comes the nesting time, and this structure is indeed a work of art, generally a spheroid largely made of moss suspended under the branches of a larch or fir-tree. I have found one beautifully concealed in the fork of a thorn-tree about five feet up, lined with feathers and full of eggs, in Ballaugh Curraghs; the bird was sitting tight. I found another, this in a thorn-bush, only three feet from the ground, shaped like a chaffinch's nest, quite open, but overhung by a lot of ivy. In it were two naked pink mites and eight eggs not yet hatched, it was a most interesting nest; and yet another, in a tree, was found in a lot of honeysuckle about fifteen feet up. One in a glen was just above a seat like a little cradle, and not a soul: noticed it, I fancy. Wherever they may be they are cleverly placed and concealed. And no wonder the birds recover rapidly from bad winters with so many eggs laid for hatching, even allowing for many casualties. When there is such a large family to feed, the work entailed on the parents to keep the youngsters fed is tremendous. I have watched the old birds frantic+ ally collecting insects off the surrounding trees and rapidly carrying them to a row of seven hungry, noisy, children, perched close to each other on a branch, and looking, in their fluffy condition, bigger than their parents, and creating much disturbance if they were kept waiting. And really the parents looked quite worn out. Imagine this going on for some days; parentage, even among birds, is not all bliss !

But soon the time comes when the young can get about and fend for themselves, and once more the old can enjoy themselves to the full, flitting about amongst the trees or branches, always cheery even on the coldest days. But it must be in those awful, long, bleak, black nights of mid-winter that the poor little things suffer, and no wonder that it is a common thing to find a stiff little corpse or corpses lying under a favourite roosting spot. is

For their diminutive size, their Strength must be enormous to enable them to move on migration for thousands of miles, and in doing so to pass Over seas and through storms. It is sad to think how many must perish when the elements are against them: and yet in spite of it all they increase and thrive.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER

Year by year these birds get commoner and have now spread to all parts of the Island, my earliest date to see them being May 7th, that being the same day, in 1927 and 1928. At Bishops Court and Old Ballaugh respectively. The places where they take to are too numerous to give in detail. I may mention Lezayre and Michael, several places round Douglas, and every year a pair on the Calf near the farm- house. I have been lucky enough to have a pair nest not far from my house, year after year. There has been the arrival some time in May, though sometimes later ; then the male singing its little song very softly, and one has to be on the alert to hear it, it is pitched so low; then the courting, which the male carries out between its darts for insects from a bough of a tree. Then the nests in some trellis-work, if that is handy (I have found nests of the species in holes in trees, on cross twigs of branches, on beams, etc.) were built of grass and nicely lined with hair. One year I found four eggs on June 18th; on the first of July both old birds were busy feeding young, and calling "chek chek" indignantly, although their mouths were inconveniently full, because I was too inquisitive. One year the male, apparently, was sick or lazy, and poor Mrs. Spotted took on the job of feeding the babes single-handed; this was a very late nesting, the three young were only hatched out about August 13th, or a little earlier, because they had moved out of the nest on the 26th, and father had returned to help once more, looking none the worse for his holiday. This species leave early for the south: my latest date is September 22nd, when I saw a bird which had been killed that morning early at Point of Ayre lighthouse, but presumably that bird had come from Scotland. Actually very few are ever to be seen here, even early in September.

PIED FLYCATCHER

On May 15th, 1927, I was by the Shore at Old Ballaugh and presently came on a tired female of the species which let me come very near and kindly gave a good view of the white on its wing when it flew a little distance. There is no reason why these birds should not come through this way, as they are common enough in Cumberland, but this is the only one I have identified.

CHIFFCHAFF

Possibly our earliest arrival in the way of migrants, although it is a close race between this bird and the Wheatear. Anyhow, it is the second best of the very small passerine birds. After a good deal of care- ful watching, I do not think that it begins to sing until it has arrived a few days; perhaps it is still out of breath after its long migratory flighting efforts. It may be looked for from March 17th onwards. I have dates in Garwick and Laxey Glens for 17th and 18th. I have seen birds pitch on Garwick beach and the parapet of Peel Break-water in the last stages of exhaustion. But these early comers are only pioneers ; it is several days later before the rest come, and the battles for mates and territories begin, all of such great interest to the observer who gets up early. These details having been successfully carried out, it is equally charming to watch the courting, when the male bird chants his song continually before his mate, arches his feathers over his back, half spreads his tail, loses his song with a break in his excitement and pursues her as she flits away in an unconcerned way. On these occasions the poising in mid-air is a very beautiful sight, with the wings outstretched. The nest itself is always, or nearly always, placed in well-concealed spots, maybe in gorse or brambles, or in a bank; and is beautifully made of leaves with a dome, the interior cosily lined with feathers. Once I found a nest in the Nunnery grounds which was on top of the remains of an old tree-stump, quite open to the world, but this is not usual. Once in May I watched the female doing the collecting of food for the young alone, whilst the male went on singing hard in a most unconcerned way. Often when there has been silence for weeks, birds will break out into song once more, to give us a happy little reminder before they start for the long flight southwards in the early autumn, and we know them no more until next March.

WILLOW-WARBLER

This little migrant, of its kind, is the next migrant to arrive after the chiffchaff, slightly larger, not quite so brown in general appearance ; it is generally in the first days of April that it is to be seen, my earliest date being March 29th, when I found a very tired little bird on Marine Drive. But, as in the case of the chiffchaff, it is several days before the arrivals are in numbers. I have found them in hundreds in Ballaugh Curraghs under such circum- stances, literally in or on every bush. I have seen a little glen on the Calf crowded with scores of them. As a fact they are immensely common throughout the Island, nesting anywhere and everywhere, even on the banks of main roads or lanes, not off the ground as in the case of the chiffchaff, but on, and even sometimes in the ground.

They sing as soon as they come, or, shall I say, start trying on their notes. I have found them singing and ready to consider nesting as high as the Round Table. Their song, their beautiful little song, is everywhere. With them, also, come the struggles for mates and territories, followed by the courting. This performance is very much on all fours with that of the chifichaff. I have seen him fluttering and poised in mid-air, somewhat like a butterfly, while she kept moving around in a tree in an elusive and aloof sort of manner. The nest is equally as beautiful as the chiffchaff, with its dome, and the interior full of feathers, often white, sometimes black, sometimes black and white intermingled. Can it be that the little bird has a very artistic touch ? Why not? And the lovely pinkish eggs with red spots look lovelier still in their surroundings, especially when the feathers which they are laid in are all white\u2014often six of them, quite frequently seven. Just think of the herculean task of feeding seven extra, hungry, little mouths, all day and every day. One nest I found near Laxey in some brambles contained three young with such beautiful lemon-yellow on the throat and round the mouth. In the middle of June I watched a female bird teaching five young birds how to feed themselves ; it was a very pretty sight. And then comes the August silence, although, every now and then, one is startled by a sudden short outbreak of song which, however, never lasts long. Then it is not long before they silently pass away for their more southern haunts. I was so surprised, once in November\u2014the igth it was\u2014to find a bird still flitting among some bushes near Agneash.

I have one interesting note. On May xoth 1924 I was in the grounds of Glencrutchery and came on a large number of very tame and tired birds in some bushes; they had greyish backs and whitish breasts, and could only presume that they were the northern willow-warbler.

WOOD-WARBLER

This species passes through the Island regularly every year, but my observations seem to show that it gets scarcer. At one time there was apparently no doubt that it nested near Ramsey, although I never had the opportunity to find it; the birds used to be there year by year, generally two pairs, but I have missed them there of recent years. The earliest date that I have seen or heard is April 23rd, when a bird was singing in Garwick Glen. This part of the Island is a favourite resting place, for I have heard and seen birds in my garden practically every year where they have generally stayed for two or three days. Glen Helen is another favourite place, and I am not sure that, one year, two pairs did not stay to nest. They also certainly return this way in small numbers, as I have had dead birds in late August from the Point of Ayre; and on August 31st I saw one on Langness which flew into an old garden and was chivied for a bit by some linnets. A very late date was October 8th, when Cregeen and I saw one on Langness among a lot of meadow-pipits. I wish it would always stay; it has the loveliest song for a lovely summer day.

GRASSHOPPER-WARBLER

In some years this bird is very plentiful in the damp places, which it seems to prefer as a whole, especially in Ballaugh Curraghs, and, in a minor degree, in the marshland between Union Mills and Saint John's. As a rule it arrives fairly late in April or early May, although I have a note of a bird being seen by me very early on the morning of April 12th near Ballaugh, unusually early. But, as soon as it arrives, its"reeling" is one of the most noticeable sounds in its neighbourhood: and may be heard in many other places beside the Curraghs, such as Laxey Glen, Silverdale, etc. One late evening, Teare and I were lucky enough to watch a pair courting. It was in the early days of May, and we found the pair in a bramble hedge, creeping on, so silently, after each other that they took no notice of us, although we were quite close. The nest is always wonderfully well concealed, generally in the centre of thick grass and a small "Sally" bush and low down, and made of grass; sometimes unlined, sometimes with hair lining, and I have seen wild cotton used. The eggs are some of the loveliest of the English breeding birds, generally five, sometimes six. As in the courting, so from the nest; it is most interesting to watct. the bird leave its nest with not a sound, and it is most difficult to make it fly. Meanwhile, the male may now be often seen on a twig near by, " reeling" tremendously. I have found a full clutch of eggs on May 25th and young on June 12th. Sometimes they breed very late, well into July. On the Calf where they appear to go every year, I have, in the middle of August, found the old birds still looking after young birds, though away from the nest. And that is the latest date of seeing birds in the late summer ; they must pack up and go early, although it would be hard, with their silent habits, to know exactly when.

SEDGE-WARBLER

As conspicuous and noisy as the last mentioned bird is the opposite; but with all its vehemence, the »edge-Warbler is none too easy to see, as a whole. lt also likes the damp. wet places; but I have found party nesting in a dry bracken-covered bank on the edge of the Ayres. My earliest date for the arrival of this bird is April 22nd, from then on arrivals may be in swarms any day, but May 21st appears to be u good date for their being in the greatest swarms, shall I say in Ballaugh Curraghs? But they are to be found in every suitable place, such as between Vnion Mills and Saint Johns; one year I found a party by a small pond on the Calf. The male gets tremendously noisy when courting ; he may be seen doing flights in the air with spread tail and out- stretched wings. They nest everywhere and almost anywhere, but as a rule well concealed in Sally bushes and grass. One nest I found, made of grass with a lining of hair and feathers, was bound in round the "Sally" stems to which it was fixed two feet off the ground; another was in a f Sally" of moss and grass, lined with a few hairs and some small feathers, plus one huge white feather which must have taken the combined strength of both birds to carry. Another nest was in very thick nettles — that is why I remember the nest so well — and bound round with nettles towards the top of them. In their lining they seem to vary: sometimes all black hair; sometimes hair and wool, or, maybe, thistledown. 1 must mention two other nests: one, near Ballanicholas, was four feet six inches off the ground in the centre of a honeysuckle bush. Another was in the ground on the side of a ditch and quite exposed to the world. The young are very dark grey in colour when first hatched, I have caught a fairly well-grown young bird when it has been somewhat tawny on the lower back head-marking and whitish superciliary streak quite plain. The latest date I have seen one on the Island is September 16th, though the majority of them have gone long before that, and they leave a real blank: noisy, chattering, scolding little things, yet always so cheerful, when the sun goes under, singing as only it is said that nightingales can sing. I am glad they are so common, one loves their lively companionship in spring and summer days.

GARDEN-WARBLER

A few birds of this species pass through the Island every spring, but I fancy in very small numbers. My earliest date for seeing one is April 23rd or Marine Drive; it was a very tired little bird. T i one at Crogga on the 27th of the same month, and on Marine Drive in another year. But one year I found that two elected to stay, and I had the great pleasure of watching them nesting in a mass of brambles near a garden belonging to a cottage; a nest of grass lined with horse-hair. The bird crept away so cleverly but I saw her well on that and a later occasion ae her eggs ; and had the pleasure of hearing her mate singing close to her while she was calling. But the did not come again, although they were successful in rearing the young. Birds are to be seen at times not far from Government House. I have listened in May, to a bird singing in the grounds. Once in July there was a bird passed quite close to me then calling with that curious little snap of the bill, so it sounds to me. The latest date I have heard or seen a bird was on August 3rd, also near the same part of the Island. It was so interesting on one occasion to watch a tired bird, which I imagine had just arrived going down to some water to have a good drink.I hope that some day they may like to make the Island amore common summer home.

BLACKCAP

I have seen very little of this little bird, one of the most delightful of the warblers, and of late years I have not seen a sign of one. But that they have bred in the Island from time to time I have no doubt. The earliest date on which I have seen one is April 16th when Cregeen and I saw a male very close by some bushes in a field next to the Highlander Inn. The next earliest date is May 6th, and on that occasion I had under observation a pair in Grenaby Orchard Malew, which were flitting about in some bushes and calling. I have heard birds singing at Glencrutchery ae on two occasions, at Garwick and in a Douglas garden once. On July 11th, one year, I saw a bird carrying food in a Douglas garden, but could not find a nest. The latest date I have seen a bird is August 26th, and this was a male on the top of a hedge by Balladoole, Castletown. I should also mention that on one occasion at the end of May, near a house under Ballure, my uncle, Professor Lloyd Morgan, himself a keen bird man, and I had a splendid view of a pair on a tree close by, and the male was singing magnificently. There is something very fine about this song, as of a Creature that can be so cheery and courageous under all circumstances.

WHITETHROAT

This bird is one of the commonest migrant warblers which come here in the summer, and it is to be found nesting in every suitable locality where it can find the necessary food. I have found it nesting as high up as just above the Round Table Inn. It arrives in April as a rule. My earliest date is April 13th; that was in 1929, an early year all round. A bird actually sang in Garwick Glen that day, and on the following morning at 4.50 a.m. a bird was singing very persistently ; and on the next day, the 15th, after a fall of rain, many birds arrived. As the days go on and the territory has been taken over and the male has got his mate, his singing at times becomes tremendous, part and parcel of the excitement of love-making. On one occasion, in Laxey Glen, I watched two males furiously chasing each other and singing as best they could at the same time, with the lady flying ahead and pretending to be quite unconscious of the two behind her. Twice they stopped to wrangle or take breath or both ; finally, one was left to himself with the lady, who was still quite unconcerned. During the latter part of May, one year, near Garwick, Cregeen and I watched a pair doing their building of a nest in some brambles and bracken not far off the ground. The male kept flying backwards and forwards with long grasses and the female did the building, bill and feet in use, and the feet patting them into position. The male was very cheery, singing most of the time, and danc- ing up into the air once or twice ; occasionally taking time off and then back to work, whilst she worked away most gravely. The following evening the male was singing in great form, and they were doing no work, and I found the nest complete except for the lining. A few evenings later I found the hair lining complete, but no eggs. Two evenings later the first egg was laid. I have seen another nest at Ballacrye with feathers put in with the hair as lining and two youngsters just hatched, with naked pink bodies. I have seen another nest near Garwick, in the middle of June, with five birds a few days old, with grey down on them and yellow and red gapes ; the mother came off, and the poor things kept scrabbling along the ground pretending to be hurt — a common custom among so many birds. One nest, near Douglas, attracted me very much, as it was,:besides being very deep, beautifully suspended on five stems of nettles in which the young were very comfortable. The males will often burst into song once more before leaving in the late summer. I heard one doing quite well as late as September 2oth, and not infrequently in August. I had a bird sent me from Point of Ayre which was killed on September 22nd, the latest date I have known a bird on the Island.

LESSER WHITETHROAT

Like other warblers which visit the Island in small numbers, it seems to me that this species might, by degrees, become more common as the years go on. I have seen and heard it near Cornaa in the middle of May. I love to hear its rattling song, not unlike one form of the chaffinch's song. I have seen it on the Calf and near Castletown. One Sunday afternoon when sitting in the Old Rectory garden at Ballaugh we saw a bird singing away fairly close to us; then it suddenly stopped, and appeared to go off north and west. One year, in a garden in Douglas, I heard a bird rattling away during a heavy shower of rain. This was in June, and the next day I searched about, and at last found a nest in a lane close to the house in a thorn hedge, of grass, and very flimsy and shallow. But, alas, it was robbed, nest and all. The latest I have seen a bird was on July 11th, in another Douglas garden.