72 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



coloured legs (the Redshank), the other by its green 

 legs and slightly upturned bill (the Greenshank). 

 The latter, however, is much rarer than the former, 

 and is only known to breed in the Highlands. The 

 Redshank is fairly common during summer on our 

 northern moors, but this species, like one or two 

 others, is as much at home in more lowland haunts. 

 You may meet with it during summer amongst 

 scenery of a directly opposite character — the fens 

 and broads of the eastern counties. Redshanks are 

 alert and noisy birds, rising from their moorland 

 haunts when alarmed, and keeping up their shrill 

 double note with almost irritating persistency. As 

 numbers often breed in the same district, the din 

 from the frightened birds soon becomes general. The 

 Greenshank visits its breeding grounds in April and 

 May, coming from over the sea like all our strictly 

 summer visitors, and departing in September and 

 October with its young. This bird again is a noisy 

 one when disturbed, and careers about the air in 

 excitement until left in peace. All these birds breed 

 upon the ground, lay four eggs possessing very 

 similar characteristics in colour and shape, and their 

 nests are found with some difficulty, owing to the 

 protective tints of their eggs. 



Of the Duck family the Mallard is by far the 

 commonest and most widely dispersed. It loves 

 the pools and streams and marshy spots upon the 



