104 BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 



Oyster Catcher. Except for the tips of its wings 

 and a part of its head, the bird was as white as 

 snow, and appeared to be looked at askance by 

 the other members of the bird world, as I saw a 

 Lapwing chasing it a few moments afterwards. 

 Its call note also seemed more husky than the 

 usual clear ringing whistle uttered by these birds. 

 Last May I was pleased to see that it had escaped 

 the gunner and returned to its summer haunts, 

 but whether it was a cock or a hen bird I could 

 not determine, most probably the former. 



At one of their favourite nesting sites the 

 Oyster Catcher and Goosander nest together, 

 and when their haunt is disturbed, both fly back- 

 wards and forwards in a great state of alarm. One 

 day a Goosander was flying fast and low along the 

 river when an Oyster Catcher, not looking where 

 it was going, almost dashed into it before it had 

 time to swerve off, missing the Goosander by 

 inches only. 



An interesting point in connection with the 

 Oyster Catcher is that when it is using a certain call 

 note its wing-beats are much slower than at any 

 other time. The note " Ko-beek " is uttered half 

 during the upward stroke of the wing and half 

 during the downward. The Oyster Catcher flies 

 very rapidly, much like the Common Wild 

 Duck, but when this particular note is uttered 

 the wings beat at about the same speed as those 

 of the Black-headed Gull. This seems almost in- 

 variably to be the case when the particular 

 note is being used ; so that with practice you can 

 tell how the bird is flying by listening to its call 

 note. If the bird has been using this note 

 and changes to the more usual whistle, directly 



