190S. Wii^iviAMS. — Bird Life in Dublin Bay. 169 



Dunlins for the Little Stint or the Curlew Sandpiper, and 

 sometimes late into moonlight nights lying among the long 

 grass and listening to the confused cries of the multitudes 

 of sea-fowl spread all over the island to the water's edge. 



The rising of the lide awa}- down at Sutton and Dollymount, 

 and the covering up of the mud-flats and feeding-grounds, 

 both by day and night, brought great flocks of birds up the 

 bay, and gradually as the tide approached high water they 

 crowded on Clontarf Island. On a daj^ in winter it used to 

 be a great delight to watch through a field-glass the move- 

 ments of this great collection of wild- fowl. 



Afloat at some distance might be seen big quantities 

 of wild ducks in distinct flocks, Wigeon forming 

 the largest portion. Sheldducks, Golden-eyes, active 

 little Tufted Ducks and Pochards, strong-looking Scaups, 

 Red-breasted Mergansers, occasionally the Buff-breasted 

 Goosander, Common Mallards and Teal, and the Great 

 Northern and Red-throated Divers. More prominent and 

 darker was a fairly big flock of Brent Geese that every 

 winter came to the bay and staj-ed till spring-time. Standing 

 just at the water's edge a row of Great Cormorants were always 

 a feature, and. higher on the shore a few Herons rested 

 motionless, whilst flocks of Curlew and Oyster-catchers stood 

 preening their feathers. Of the smaller waders Golden Plover, 

 Godwits, Knots, Redshanks, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin in 

 flocks of various sizes rested along the gravelh' shore. In the 

 company of this living mass of ducks and waders the great 

 famil}^ of the gulls were always well represented, a couple of 

 pairs of adult Great Black-backed Gulls usually resting with 

 the others, and Herring Gulls, Common Gulls, and Black- 

 headed Gulls, the most numerous and noisy of all, made up 

 the flock. This scene of repose and enjoyment would some- 

 times suddenly change, the birds at the same instant becom- 

 ing violently agitated, and springing into the air in masses, 

 wheeling and curving as the different flocks swept awaj^ from 

 the island, their loud call- notes and alarm cries making a 

 babel of musical sounds. The startled onlooker might gaze 

 in surprise, thinking a boat had suddenly appeared to cause 

 so great a disturbance, but the quick e5^es of the birds had 

 discerned their natural enemy, 'the Peregrine Falcon, high over- 



