64 Wiud Birds and their Haunts 



southern climes, may be seen. At this time the curlew, 

 sandpiper, little stint, and other less numerous birds pay 

 us a passing visit. They stay from a week to a fortnight 

 with us, then depart for the south. By the middle of 

 September the full swing of shore-bird migration is in 

 operation. A noticeable increase in curlews (noted by 

 their different manners and unwary movements) occurs in 

 October. Shore-birds are in this month as numerous as 

 they will be, if no severe weather influences an immigra- 

 tion from the Continent. Thus, in the months of January 

 and February, knots, in very hard winters, congregate in 

 enormous flocks on our coasts. 



In August some local migration of wild fowl takes place. 

 We are in this month visited by the first lots of mallard 

 leaving their breeding haunts, as well as other fowl, such 

 as shovellers, teal, tufted duck, and pochards. A few 

 widgeon — probably those which breed in the northern parts 

 of Scotland or at no higher latitude — are often met with 

 in England during August. Of course, a few odd pairs 

 breed in England, but the widgeon seen in August un- 

 doubtedly outnumber those which breed in this country. 



October brings with it the arrival of large numbers of 

 widgeon and mallard, but the latter species may be said to 

 come in the largest flocks in November. Grey geese reach 

 us in force during October, and increase until the end of 

 November. Some pass further south. In February they 

 return, and during this month are most numerous on the 

 tideways. Whether large numbers of grey geese (pink- 

 footed) which have journeyed south along the Continent 

 return via the British Isles I cannot say, but it is un- 

 doubted that when these birds are congregating to go 

 north they are seen in the largest flocks. 



Brent, compared with other fowl, reach us late. Few 

 are here before November, and in general they are not 

 looked for in great numbers until after Christmas. The 

 severity of a winter has much to do with the number of 

 brent which reach our shores. Their proper migratory 

 season is over long before the inclement weather drives 

 them in big lots to the British Isles ; thus it might be 

 stated that brent, and to an extent all geese, are subject 



