200 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



them at Blakeney in two or three different seasons, 

 between the 25th and 30th of July, "not paired off, 

 but keeping together in ^ herds ' of from eight to ten/' 

 most probably birds which would neither breed here nor 

 elsewhere during that summer. By the end of August 

 or beginning of September, old and young together, 

 have again commenced their southward journey, but 

 the numbers then seen are but few in comparison with 

 the spring flight.^ In Mr. Dowell's notes I find no 

 record of this bird having been observed by him at 

 Blakeney later than the first week in October ; and Mr. 

 F. Frere describes them as always scarce in autumn on 

 Breydon, and rarely, if ever, seen during the winter 

 months. 



As in the case of the curlew, the north-western 

 portion of our coast from Blakeney to Lynn, with its 

 flat sandy shores and small tidal channels, has most 

 attractions for the whimbrel, although Breydon for 

 similar reasons is a favourite resort, and examples 

 have been killed occasionally in the south-western 

 district about Feltwell and Hockwold. Mr. Lubbock 

 speaks of this species as having been occasionally very 

 numerous at Horsey, visiting the marshes in consid- 

 erable flocks in April and May ; and in describing the 

 habits of the birds, he says "they are far more easy 

 of access than the curlews, and when disturbed make 

 shorter flights, removing only from one marsh to 

 another, instead of rising high in the air and forsaking 

 the district altogether as the curlew generally does. 

 They have a clattering confused cry in flight, which 



* Mr. Cordeaux ("Zoologist," 1866, p. 294) remarks the same 

 thing in Lincolnshire, where, in August and September, the whim- 

 brel are seen in small parties passing over head at a considerable 

 height, constantly repeating their call note, and flying in a south 

 or south-westerly direction. 



