Page:VCH Cornwall 1.djvu/395

 BIRDS 211. Collared Pratincole. Glareola prafmcola, Linn. An accidental vagrant ; one shot at Truro in Sep- tember, 1811, and one, a fine adult male, near the Lizard, 9 June, 1874. 212. Cream-coloured Courser. Cunorius gallicus (J. F. Gmelin). An accidental straggler killed at Mawgan near St. Columb in December, 1884. 213. Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus (Linn.). An irregular bird of passage, always in small num- bers, but commoner in spring than in autumn ; oc- casionally obtained on both journeys on the open moors on the south coast, but the spring birds for the most part follow a well-defined line on their journey through the county, and linger but little on the way. 2 1 4. Ringed Plover. AegiaRtis biatlcula (Linn.). Locally, Ring dotterel, Sea lark (see also Dunlin), Resident ; fairly common in summer on several of our shingle beaches ; at Scilly breeds in considerable numbers ; in autumn large immigrant flocks spread round the coast and up the estuaries, and occasionally venture inland on to the higher marshes. 215. Little Ringed Plover. Aegalitii curonica (J. F. Gmelin). An accidental straggler shot at Tresco, Scilly, by F. R. Rodd, in October, 1863, the only record for the county. 216. Kentish Plover. Aeffalltis cantiana (Latham). A rare casual ; one killed 17 April, 1852, on the flat sands between Penzance and St. Michael's Mount ; a second killed at the same place 17 April, 1858 ; one seen by David Smith on Tresco Pool in Septem- ber, 1 88 1, and one seen by A. W. Hawey near Penzance, 14 August, 1900. 217. Killdeer Plover. Aegialitis vocifera (Linn.). An accidental straggler from the United States, shot at Tresco, 15 January, 1885. The bird, which was a female, had been frequenting the Long Pool for several days. 218. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvlalis, Linn. A regular winter visitor, often in immense quan- tities, but the numbers vary greatly, and during the course of the autumn and winter they fluctuate con- siderably in the same locality ; usually common in the winter at Scilly, and in severe weather, with a favourable wind, abundant. Occasionally large num- bers may arrive in the county early in September, but as a rule the largest immigrant flocks appear from October onwards. Most of the birds leave by the end of March, but stragglers, at times in full breeding plumage, may sometimes be seen in May. 219. Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica (Linn.). A passing visitor in the spring and autumn, usually more frequent at the latter season, when it may linger for weeks ; not uncommon from Falmouth westward to Scilly, where the beach at Samson appears to be its favourite haunt ; not often reported from other parts of the coast, except in the north-east of the county. Immature birds may in most years be seen all through the winter in Mount's Bay ; in great abundance about St. Burian during the winter of 1887-8. 220. Lapwing. Vanellus vulgaris, Bechstein. Locally, Horniwink. Resident ; breeding on the Bodmin and Goss Moors, at the Lizard, in small numbers in the Tamar valley, and occasionally on Carnon Downs, Truro, and Lady Downs, Penzance. Immense immigrant flocks or stands arrive during the autumn and winter ; extraordinarily abundant in the west of the county in the first fortnight of January, 1891. On 14 Feb- ruary, 1902, during a severe frost, a large stand invaded Truro. Common at Scilly throughout the autumn and winter, but does not stay to breed. On 13 February, 1902, a great flock three miles long passed over the islands. 221. Turnstone. Strefsilas interpret (Linn.). A passing migrant in spring and autumn, but in the west of the county not uncommon during the winter, and often seen in summer ; abundant at Scilly all the year round, and has apparently bred there. 222. Oyster-Catcher. Haematopus ostralegus (Linn.). Locally, Sea Pie. Resident ; during the last thirty years has gradually extended its breeding area from Scilly to Bude, and Looe. At Scilly breeds abundantly, and on the main-land nests in small scattered colonies. Small migratory parties occur in the spring and autumn, and large flocks are often seen in winter. 223. Avocet. Recurvirostra avocetta (Linn.). An accidental straggler, of which five specimens have been obtained in Cornwall, namely one at Swanpool in November, 1845 ; one near Land's End, 1 3 September, ! 847 ; one on St. Germans river, September, 1871 ; one near Truro in August, 1880 ; and one in the Cober valley near Helston, 21 April, 1900. 224. Black-winged Stilt. Himantopus candidus (Bonna- terre). An accidental straggler shot at Swanpool, Falmouth, in 1851, and recorded by W. P. Cocks in the Naturalist for that year (p. 114). 225. Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus foficarius (Linn.). A passing migrant in autumn, and an occasional winter visitor of irregular but not infrequent occur- rence ; only once obtained in the spring, namely, at Par in May, 1878. An occasional visitor at Scilly ; two obtained in October, 1857, one 14 September, 1877, one January, 1893, and another 6 December, 1902. Large flocks appeared in the county in 1846, in 1866, and in the autumn of 1891 ; a small flock seen on Truro river in November, 1 904, and another of about twenty birds on 26 November, 1905. 226. Red-necked Phalarope. Phalaropus byperboreus (Linn.). A casual visitor in autumn, recorded from Scilly, Land's End, Helford, Swanpool, Looe, and Dosemary Pool. Generally occurs singly, but seven were counted in a large flock of grey phalaropes on the Helford river in October, 1891 ; most recent county record, Swanpool, 21 October, 1902. 227. Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula, Linn. A winter visitor, as a rnle fairly plentiful. The first flights generally arrive about the second week in October, and the birds leave early in March ; usually 343