12 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



spent the winter here. It requires, indeed, close observa- 

 tion to detect the progress of the metamorphosis which is 

 then occurring. Observe those half-dozen golden plovers 

 scattered over a moss-flowe high out on the fells ; it is 

 the middle of February. Well, surely there is nothing 

 remarkable in that : are there not a couple of hundred 

 of them in the low-lying pastures only a mile away? 

 Quite true ; but those hundreds in the valley are merely 

 the normal winter stock ; this handful on the hills is the 

 vanguard of the invading army from southern lands 

 which means to spend the summer here. 



The following list gives in rough outline the various 

 birds which come to breed on the Northumbrian moor- 

 land, together with the approximate average dates of their 

 arrival :■ — 



Peewit ..... February or even earlier (irregular). 



Golden Plover .... February (irregular). 



Skylark February. 



Curlew ..... February. 



Pied Wagtail .... February (end). 



Titlark March. 



Black-headed Gull . . . March. 



Stockdove March (middle). 



Grey Wagtail .... March (middle). 



Redshank March (middle). 



Wheatear March (end). 



Ring-Ouzel .... March (end). 



Sand-Martin and Chiffcbafr . April (early). 



Dunlin April (early). 



Sandpiper April 12th to 15th. 



Willow-Wren .... April 15th to 20th. 



Redstart April 1 5th to 20th. 



Swallow April 20th. 



House-Martin .... April 25th. 



Whinchat and Pied Flycatcher April 25th. 



Cuckoo April 30th. 



Landrail May 1st. 



Nightjar May (middle). 



