Birds and Weather
The migrations of birds are not as a rule greatly influenced by weather. They set off on their journeys, whether south or north, at dates that do not widely differ from year to year. This year some of our winter visitors, notably redwing and fieldfare, appeared, if anything, earlier than usual, in spite of the warmth, and the swallows left certainly not later than usual, in spite of the general fact that many broods—possibly third broods—were abnormally late. I believe that quite exceptional records of migrants have been registered at the established centres of observation on the north-west coasteout have been remarkable rather for the number of rarities and movements of some of our home birds than for the dates of arrival and departure. One change of the normal date is reported from Denmark. The great flocks of grey-lag geese that spend the summer on some of the lakes before moving south and west have stayed on weeks after their time, and I presume, though without evidence, that they have not put in an appearance in any number on our east coast.
Previous page
