Bird lore - Project Puffin

A NUMBER
Protection of Migrating Birds in England
By W. "W. GRANT
of European ornithologists have been endeavoring to devise
some scheme whereby the marked mortahty of birds about Hghthouses
could be reduced.
The loss of great numbers of (mostly) spring migrants has been deplored
for many years, and Herr J. P. Thijsse (Utrecht), one of the prime movers
in this humane project, was of the opinion that many of the deaths were due
to the birds becoming bewildered by the light, which would cause them to
ST. CATHERINE'S LIGHTHOUSE, SHOW
ING PERCHES i OR BIRDS
Photographed by W. W. Grant
circle around the lighthouse until utterly
exhausted, and then be dashed to death
on the ground at the base of the light.
After many experiments and investi-
gations, he came to the conclusion that,
if suitable perches were supplied for the
birds to rest on, many useful lives could
be saved, and the perches erected at the
great Brandaris Lighthouse of Terschell-
ing, in Holland, have resulted in the
saving of many thousands of birds.
He was instrumental in inducing the
British Government to erect similar
perches on some of their lighthouses,
including St. Catherine's, on the Isle of
Wight, and the Caskets, in the EngHsh
Channel.
With a view to satisfying myself of
the merit of such devices, I decided to
spend a night at St. Catherine's light.
On account of the destruction
wrought on much government property
by the militant suffragettes, the Elder Brethren, who have charge of all the
British lighthouses, found it necessary to issue strict orders to all lighthouse
keepers to prevent all visitors from trespassing on any lighthouse property,
without a written permit.
I therefore made a trip to London and called on the head Elder, whose office
is at Trinity House, near the Bank of England. "^
I explained my mission, and although he was most courteous, yet he said
I would have to make a written application and have it endorsed by a wellknown
ornithologist. As I had no difficulty in fulfilling his requirements, the
permit arrived in a few days, and I spent the night of September 9, 19 13, at
the top of St. Catherine's light.
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