Notes on Birds Observed at BundoranAuthor(s): Nevin H. FosterSource: The Irish Naturalist, Vol. 21, No. 11 (Nov., 1912), pp. 218-219Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25524012 .

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2i8 The Irish Naturalist* November

NOTES ON BIRDS OBSERVED AT BUNDORAN

BY NEVIN H. FOSTER, M.R.I.A., M.B.O.U.

During a fortnight (12th till 26th August) spent this year at Bundoran, Co. Donegal, I was enabled to make some

ornithological observations which may be worthy of

recording. On the 21st a flock comprising both Whinchats (Pratincola

rubetra), and Stonechats (P* rubicola), with a few Yellow

Buntings (Emberiza citrinella) and Reed-Buntings (E*

schoeniclus) was seen. These birds were very tame and

permitted a close approach, whilst they were busily engaged feeding in a weedy field about a quarter of a mile inland.

On the day of my arrival, and during the two succeeding

days, the shore in the vicinity of the mouth of the Bradoge River was tenanted by about forty Wagtails. Of these some

twenty I diagnosed as White Wagtails (Motacilla alba), the

remainder consisting of Pied Wagtails (M. lugubris) and

Grey Wagtails (M* melanope)m about the proportion of three

Pied to one Grey. As would be expected, the Grey Wag tails frequented almost exclusively the immediate vicinity of the river, whilst the others spread themselves along the

shore as far as the cliffs on either side of the river. By the 15th these White Wagtails had all disappeared, but till

the end of my stay the Pied and Grey Wagtails still fre

quented this stretch of the shore in approximately the

original numbers. I think there can be no doubt that these

White Wagtails were on their southward migration, thus

confirming other observations on the west coast of Ireland

at this season.

Although closely watching for it, I failed to see the Tree

Sparrow (Passer montanus), but this may not be surprising when the weather condition is taken into account?it being for the most part cold and stormy, and land birds as a rule

being conspicuous by their absence. For example, it may be

cited that only a single Song Thrush and two Blackbirds were observed during the fortnight, yet my list included

36 species of passerine birds. Of the Finches the most

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191*. FoSTKRy?-Birds observed at Bundoran* 2*9

numerous species proved Linnets (Linota cannabina) and

Twites (L. flavirostris), while one Goldfinch (Carduelis

elegans) was seen in a natural state. Judging from the

number of Goldfinches seen in cages in this neighbourhood, many of these birds must fall a prey to bird-catchers.

At a corresponding period at Bundoran, in 1909, only a

single Swift (Cypselus apus) was noted, but on this occasion

two Swifts were seen on the 14th, five on the 15th, and three

on the 17th.

Every day Turnstones (Strepsilas interpres) were observed on the shore, in company with Ringed Plovers (Aegialitis hiaticola) and a few Redshanks (Totanus calidris). As many as forty Turnstones were counted, a few of them still re

taining more or less of the chestnut colour on the mantle

indicative of the adult summer plumage. . A visit to Tullan

Strand on the 16th revealed three Sanderlings (Calidris arenaria), and on revisiting this locality on the 19th about

twenty of these birds were feeding by the margin of the in

coming tide.

On the strand at the mouth of the River Erne was

observed a party of Little Terns (Sterna minuta), both

mature and immature, and it may be of interest to note

that some of the mature birds displayed a roseate tint on

the breast when viewed in the then prevailing bright sun

light, a feature which was observed a few years ago by Mr. Robert Patterson in' these birds at Pollan Bay on the

eastern peninsula of Donegal. The total number of species of birds observed during the

fortnight amounted to 69, but I only give my notes on those

which may be considered most interesting from the stand

point of a student of distribution.

Hillsborough, Co. Down.

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