CHAPTER VI 



ROUND THE YEAR IN THE BRITISH ISLES : AUTUMN 



The autumn migrations observed in the British Islands 

 are all of them return-movements from summer nesting 

 haunts to winter retreats within our areas or to warmer 

 climes beyond their limits. They comprise local move- 

 ments between various British seasonal haunts, the 

 departure of our summer visitors, the arrival of winter 

 visitors, and a prolonged procession of birds of passage 

 bound southwards. 



When in a thousand swarms, the summer o'er, 

 The birds of passage quit the Enghsh shore. 

 By various routes the feathered myriad moves. 



— Charlotte Smith, 



The various migrants usually follow the same lines 

 of flight, but in a reverse direction, as in the spring ; 

 they depart from the same shores which witnessed their 

 arrival a few months before ; and they arrive on those 

 from which they took their departure to proceed to 

 their summer quarters. 



The span between the last of the spring movements 

 to northern nesting haunts and the setting in of the 

 autumn emigrations of the British summer guests is but 

 a short one. As early as July, while the summer is in 

 the zenith of her glory, certain of our birds which have 

 accomplished the duties and cares associated with the 



