Bird Migration 65 



to local migration, which is partly governed by the 

 weather. Of course, brent occur every year, but for 

 great numbers to visit us we are much dependent on the 

 severity of the winter on the Continent. The severity 

 of our winters counts as little on this score, except 

 that when hard the fowl are not so difficult to procure. 



Bernicle, although allied to brent, more closely resemble 

 the grey geese in their migratory movements. Being 

 marsh-feeders, bernicle geese frequent very local areas in 

 our islands. The bernicle has frequently been shot in 

 August. At this season they have been met with at 

 places which are not usually visited by them. As this 

 fowl is fairly common as an ornamental water fowl, it 

 may be possible that these early visitors are ' ' escapes." 



In spring a return of the fowl and shore-birds takes 

 place. The wild fowl leave us in the majority first. The 

 shore-birds which have wintered further south, such as the 

 whimbrel and curlew-sandpiper pass our shores in May. 

 A few linger until the first week in June. All the summer 

 a few straggling shore-birds may be seen on the coast, 

 including godwits, turnstones, grey plover, sanderlings, 

 and knots. These may be immature which have not gone 

 on to breed, or possibly they are either barren or 

 ' pricked ' birds." 



