THE BIRDS of IRELAND. Order PASSERES. Family TURDIDAE
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THE BIRDS OF IRELAND. Order PASSERES. Family TURDIDAE Subfamily TURDINNAE THE MISTLE-THRUSH. Turdus viscivorus, Linnæus. Though now resident, common, and widely distributed, this bird was apparently unknown in Ireland before the nineteenth century. A Mistle-Thrush, shot early in 1808 in the Co. Antrim was the first Irish example that Thompson had heard of during the first half of the century the spread and increase of this species was noticed throughout Ireland, the Western coast being apparently the last reached. Thus Mr. W. Sinclair remembers it in Tyrone in1820, but it arrived in Western Donegal ten years later. Up to 1860 it was unknown in Achill, but now breeds there. In Western Connaught it is scarce, but is believed still to be on the increase throughout Ireland in general. Flocks occur from June to the end of autumn, and may be seen in the same locality for days together. These perform local migrations, but disperse before winter. In November there is an immigration from Great Britain, though on a much smaller scale than that of the Song-Thrush or Blackbird. Some Mistle-Thrushes visit Rathlin Island in frosts, and Valentia is another winter resort. The Mistle-Thrush is a welcome addition to the song-birds of Ireland, from October onwards it may be heard in our mild climate; at first rarely, but more frequently and fully as each winter month passes, until the full song is delivered in February and March; while even frost and snow will not always silence it. I have heard one uttering its notes in short snatches between each triple stroke of its wings while it flew. Dr. Benson mentions an instance of its daring. A Sparrow-Hawk was just about to seize a Chaffinch which it was pursuing, when a Mistle-Thrush darted down right on the Hawk's back. For a moment glancing wings were seen, and the Chaffinch dropped into the grass in safety, while the disconcerted Hawk flew off. The breeding of the Chaffinch close to the nest of the Mistle-Thrush has been repeatedly observed in Ireland; and in one case I saw a Long-tailed Tit's nest in the same tree as that of this Thrush. A pair bred on a bleak headland near the Aranmore Lighthouse, co. Donegal (Migration Reports 1889) and Mr. Brooke found a nest among rocks on a hill near Killybegs, where trees were scarce and there were only a few hazel-bushes. Mr. Pentland found one in a hole of a gate-pier near Clogher Head, no trees being near, but such cases are exceptional. Late nests are uncommon. When deficient in brown colouring the eggs are blue, like those of a Song-Thrush, but paler. Frequently five eggs are laid. The Mistle-Thrush varies to white oftener than do other Thrushes. THE SONG-THRUSH. Turdus musicus, Linnæus. Resident and common. Breeds in every county. Its numbers increased in winter by immigration. One of our best-known songsters, the Song-Thrush is numerously distributed, and it breeds throughout Ireland, even on points of Western Donegal not quite devoid of trees, as well as on the islands of Valentia, Lambay, Rathlin and Achill. Some bare coast districts must, however, be excepted, as those of Dunglow in Donegal. Belmullet in Mayo, and Carna in Galway, though these are visited by numbers of Thrushes in winter. Thus the Song-Thrush is a winter-visitor to many districts near the coast, where it finds among the sand-hills a plentiful supply of snails. The shells may often be seen strewn round a stone, used by this bird as an anvil. I have been referring to the local migration, which results in this species becoming scarce or absent after the breeding-season, and through the winter near Belfast and in Tyrone and Donegal. Its scarcity in July and August has long been noticed in Ireland. On the other hand, there is a general increase in winter in Waterford and Cork, and along the West. During severe frost or snow Song-Thrushes, with allied birds, are seen flying westwards, and visit in the last resort the islands of Kerry, Galway and Mayo. But more important than the local is the transmarine migration. In October, and still more in November, the British or foreign flocks come over to pass the winter in our milder climate their return journey being observed chiefly in February. These visitors from beyond the channel cross for the most part by Wexford. This route is indicated by the proportion of legs and wings in Mr. Barrington's collection taken at light stations round Ireland. There are none of these from Galway nor Mayo lighthouses except three from the Arran Islands. The song has been noticed exceptionally in September and October, and is more frequently heard on mild days from November onwards, but it does not attain its full power until spring. I have heard it at 7.30 A.M. and at 4 P.M. in the December twilight, and in May it has been noticed before 3 A.M. This bird has been seen building on the 14th February at Cappagh, but it usually commences in March. Young birds able to fly have been found on the 10th of April. I have seen a nest in a fir thirty-five or forty feet from the ground. Another nest was built in a deep watering-can. In Achill, owing to want of trees, the Song- Thrush builds in gorse or even in ferns. White variations have occurred in Ireland. THE REDWING. Turdus iliacus, Linnæus. A regular winter-visitor, common and distributed throughout Ireland. The Redwing is common in winter in every county; and in most of them, though not in the extreme West, is considered decidedly more numerous than the Fieldfare. It visits islands like Rathlin and Achill, but it prefers cultivated and planted districts to uplands and exposed places, where, feeding, as it chiefly does on worms and snails, it would soon succumb to frost and snow. At such times one may see Redwings clustering in excitement on any piece of pasture where the snow is thawed. Though a more regular visitor than the Fieldfare, this bird makes its appearance less commonly in some winters than in others. Its arrival ordinarily precedes that of the Fieldfare, but usually takes place late rather than early in October, while in November the migration is still in full swing. On the 28th of October 1875, during a night of inky blackness, Mr. Harrington heard over Bray the cries uttered by Redwings, which had evidently just arrived, and seemed bewildered by the glare of the town-lights. The barometer was high over North Europe that week, and the winds were E. and S.E. over Great Britain. Redwings arrive in Wicklow in flocks of moderate size, flying rather near the ground; Field-fares, on the contrary, come in thousands together and fly at a great height (Rev. A. Ellison). In severe frosts fresh flocks may be seen arriving on our eastern shores and swarming in the fields near the coast, or even feeding among the seaweed. With each access of cold the westward movement is renewed, until finally flocks of Redwings sometimes reach the isles of Kerry, and drowned birds have been washed no there. March is the month of their departure generally through Ireland. I have never noticed them in April in the South; but Mr. Campbell states they leave Londonderry the first or second week in April, and this corroborates Thompson's statement that they remain near Belfast until the beginning or middle of that month. Mr. Moffat, too, reports stragglers in Wexford up to mid-April. One was obtained by Dr. Cox in co. Dublin on 1st May. The chorus of a flock of Redwings "recording" in January, February, or March is a familiar sound. Mr. J. Dickson speaks of the song being heard near Belfast about the beginning of April. Proof is wanting that this species has bred in Ireland. THE FIELDFARE. Turdus pilaris, Linnæus. Widespread as a winter-visitor, but more uncertain than the Redwing. The Fieldfare is much less frequently seen in the South of Ireland than, the Redwing, but the reverse is the case in some more northern counties and at exposed points like Dursey Island. It arrives later and leaves us later than the Redwing. The statistics of Mr. Barrington's collection show that the greatest number of specimens occur at lighthouses in November, which indicates that month as the time of chief immigration, and this agrees with my own observations, but Fieldfares often arrive in October. On the 16th of that month the Rev. A. Ellison, in the Co. Wicklow, saw a large flock covering part of the sky like a cloud, flying at a great height from the north-east and passing on into the heart of the country. He stated that this, their usual mode of arrival, may be observed for days before they settle in the locality. Thompson saw some in co. Down on the 24th of September, and others have been noticed in Wexford on the 29th of that mouth, very exceptional cases, which could only occur near the points of arrival. Mr. H. Blake Knox, who resides near the Dublin coast, has stated that during snow Fieldfares were seen coming from the east in countless numbers (Zool.,1868, p.1188). A striking case of continued migration occurred at Rathlin O'Birne Island, off West Donegal, when from the 18th to the 23rd of December 1886, immense flocks of Starlings, Thrushes and Field-fares passed west towards the Atlantic.