BYGONE BIRDING (6): 'GOOD SPORT' CHASING THE DIVERS

Slavonian grebe in winter plumage

From The Zoologist, Vol 16, 1858


Occurrence of rare birds near Barnstaple

Singular to relate, although the commencement of the past winter was  unusually mild, birds which are rare visitants here even when the weather is  severe, have appeared on our river in some numbers. 

I refer especially to members of the family Colymbidee (divers). 

What seemed to be a small flock of Colymbus glacialis (great northern diver) frequented the river throughout the greater part of December.

At high water, on more than one occasion, good sport was had by parties in boats in chasing one of these divers, and they generally had to make a good pull for it, and to expend a considerable quantity of cartridges before a specimen was hauled dead into the boat. 

All the birds which were shot were in an immature state of plumage. 

C. septentrionalis (red-throated diver) has also been shot this winter as well as a beautiful specimen of Podiceps cornutus (Slavonian grebe).

This grebe is obtained on our river with some regularity nearly every winter. 

One day, in the early part of January, I saw a fine specimen of Lanius excubitor (great grey shrike), but did not get very near to it.

I watched it fly some distance down the valley, its grey and white plumage making it visible at a considerable distance.

Its flight is in a straight line, with regular dips, closely resembling that of Turdus viscivorus (mistle thrush). 

I also observed a specimen of Emberiza nivalis (snow bunting) on a marsh close to the town, a far from common winter visitant with us.

The bird in question I saw frequenting the same spot for more than three weeks.

His favourite haunt was a turnip field bordering on the marsh where he associated amicably with a flock of skylarks, always leaving them on the approach of any one, and often settling on the top of a tall tree in the hedgerow.

There, when the sun was shining brightly, he glistened as if a small ball of the purest snow were attached to the topmost branch. 

Rev Murray A. Mathews

Raleigh 

near Barnstaple

Devon

March 15, 1858.