Birds of Guernsey (1879) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 203 pages of information about Birds of Guernsey (1879).

Birds of Guernsey (1879) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 203 pages of information about Birds of Guernsey (1879).

Professor Ansted includes the Whimbrel in his list, and marks it only as occurring in Guernsey and Sark.  There are two specimens in the Museum.

112.  REDSHANK. Totanus calidris, Linnaeus.  French, “Chevalier gambette.”—­An occasional but never numerous visitant to all the Islands, on both spring and autumn migrations; none appear to remain through the summer.  I have, however, a Redshank in full breeding plumage, killed in Guernsey as late as the 23rd of April.

Professor Ansted includes the Redshank in his list, but only marks it as occurring in Guernsey.  There are two specimens in the Museum.

113.  GREEN SANDPIPER. Totanus ochropus, Linnaeus.  French, “Chevalier cul blanc.”—­The Green Sandpiper is an irregular, very scarce (not so numerous indeed as the Redshank) visitant on the spring and autumn migration.  I have seen what was probably a family party about Vazon Bay, in Guernsey, quite at the end of July, but I do not believe this bird ever breeds in the Islands:  those I saw were probably the parents and young brood of an early-breeding pair, on their return from some not very distant breeding-ground.  Such parties seem only to pay the Islands a very short visit on their return from their breeding-ground; at least I have never seen a Green Sandpiper in the Islands as late as October or November; it may, however, occasionally occur in the winter, as I have a specimen from Torbay killed in December.

Professor Ansted does not include the Green Sandpiper in his list, though he does the Wood Sandpiper, giving, however, no locality for it.  I have never seen this latter bird in the Islands, however; nor have I been able to find that one has ever passed through the hands of any of the local bird-stuffers, and I cannot help thinking a mistake has been made; as both birds may, however, occur, and they are something alike, I may, for the benefit of my Guernsey readers, mention that they may immediately be distinguished; the axillary plume or long feathers under the wing, in the Green Sandpiper, being black narrowly barred with white; and in the Wood Sandpiper the reverse, white with a few dark bars and markings; the tail also, in the Green Sandpiper, is much more distinctly and boldy barred with black and white.  Alive and on the wing they may be immediately distinguished by the pure white rump and tail-coverts of the Green Sandpiper, which are very conspicuous, especially as the bird rises; the white on the same parts of the Wood Sandpiper is much marked with brown, and consequently never appears so conspicuously.  There is one Green Sandpiper at present in the Museum, which there seems no reason to doubt is Guernsey killed.

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Birds of Guernsey (1879) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.