BIRDS 



A ' winter migrant ' on the other hand is a bird which comes to us 

 in autumn, remaining with us till the return of spring calls it back to its 

 breeding haunts in more northern regions. The fieldfare, redwing, 

 brambling, hooded crow, with the great majority of the woodcocks, are 

 examples of this class, and having no inducement to remain long in one 

 place, their movements are more irregular and uncertain than those of 

 the summer migrants. 



The term ' visitant ' is applied to a species which comes to us on its 

 passage from north to south, or vice versa, remaining only for a few weeks 

 or days, perhaps but for a few hours, for the purpose of resting. Many 

 of the waders, like the grey plover, greenshank, knot and bar-tailed 

 godwit, come to the Suffolk coast and to Breydon Water in May on their 

 migration to their northern breeding grounds, and make a return visit in 

 August and September when the young birds of the year are numerous, 

 but at mid-summer or mid-winter none are to be found. Under the 

 heading of ' visitants ' must also be included those birds the occurrence of 

 which in the county is more or less irregular and accidental. 



A good deal of bird protection has been accomplished in Suffolk 

 both by private effort and recent legislation. Within the limits of juris- 

 diction of the West Suffolk County Council all species of owls, the 

 kestrel, the kingfisher, and the great bustard (the last-named for special 

 reasons) are now protected throughout the year, and the taking or 

 destroying of their eggs, with those of the nightjar, heron, stone- 

 curlew, redshank and many other species is prohibited. In east Suffolk 

 that portion of the coast on which the terns and other birds breed is 

 now a ' protected area,' and here, where a single raid used formerly to 

 produce eighty or a hundred ' cobs' eggs,' protection exists not only in 

 name but in actual fact. Breydon Water also is well looked after in the 

 close time by the members of the Breydon Protection Society and their 

 agents, so that spoonbills frequently come there, remain for some days, 

 and depart in safety. The extension of the close time in Norfolk and 

 east Suffolk from i August to i September has also been of great value 

 in preventing the wanton destruction of the terns and black-headed 

 gulls. 



It seems desirable to add the local or colloquial names of each species 

 so far as it has been possible to obtain them. Natural history ' object 

 lessons ' now form a part of the instruction given in village schools, and 

 the teaching must often be given by those whose knowledge of their 

 subject has been gained from books and illustrations rather than from 

 actual out-door experience. The children will thus be taught to speak 

 of the various birds by what must be admitted to be their proper names 

 and to discard the familiar ' mavis ' and ' King Harry ' which have come 

 down from generation to generation in our villages, so it seems possible 

 that in the course of time these names may become obsolete. 



In drawing up this list the second edition (1899) of Mr. Howard 

 Saunders' Illustrated Manual of British Birds has been adopted as the 

 guide both to the order in which the species are given, and the name 



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