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. 
