Wednesday 31 August 2011

on this day in 1961

Taken from the daily chatty log of 1961......

On the 17th August 1961....

… a sunny day, very warm. Cloudy with slight rain in late evening.

Alfred brought 103 visitors today, 26 of these were scouts from Wembley, a rowdy lot I must say. One of the younger members of the troop attempted to climb the cliff in the N.W corner of S.Haven, he got half-way and no further, up or down, we heard shouts of help. I went to his assistance and got him safely down, no worse for wear.

Picked up the traps and took 4 female and 6 male for Dr Rowlands, skinned and dissected 8 of these this afternoon.

A Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Robins, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush – farm. 3 Swallows flying W, 1 flying E, 16 Oystercatchers mouth of S. Stream, a Teal at N.Pond.

A visitor handed in a ring found on a leg in the centre of the island.

A French crabber in N. Haven this evening, we went aboard, evidenty they go as far as N as N. Rona and St Kilda.

The first Shearwaters were coming ashore- 2215 hours. DRS

On the 30th August 1961....

… a sunny day and very warm. Wind slight W to N.W. There was quite a considerable swell until after low tide this made landing quite difficult.

Alfred brought 76 visitors, one joined the society. 4 came with a dog, on finding that dogs aren't allowed, although it is possible to leave them tied at the beach, they went back, the first time this has happened, they said its never been tied up and they couldn't bear to leave it, needless to say it was a poodle!!!!

Picked up Grid F. 2nd half traps, one dead Common Shrew which I have skinned.

One gets some most interesting results if the traps are visited every 2 hours, not so much from an activity rhythm point of view as there are not enough traps to give a true picture of each individual, but from the movement and territory point of view.

There seems to have been some more passage of migrants today, 6 Grey Wagtails flew W and 2 Yellow Wagtails flew W. The former all passed by flying at about 150' where as there later were only at about 20' above ground level.

Swallows passed S.E. In small numbers at various times during the morning up until 1215 HRS. At one time there must have been 30 hawking around the farm buildings, one was sat on the pole just outside the gate. 2 Sand Martins also passed S.E.

A French crabber in S. Haven this evening, 3 fellows came ashore on to the beach to collect stones for use as weights in their lobster pots. DRS.

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