BIRD NOTES 37 



Plovers alighted on a Breydon flat, and forthwith 

 fell fast asleep, so heavily, indeed, that as the 

 afternoon tide rose it reached up to their breasts, 

 and would have presently floated them, had not my 

 pushing my punt into their midst aroused them, 

 when they awoke and flew away to some others 

 that, having previously arrived and rested, were 

 feeding on an adjoining flat, in company with 

 some Whimbrel, Godwits, and smaller waders. The 

 wind was east-south-east. 



In November 1902 there were days of fog and 

 mist, the worst possible conditions for the land- 

 birds on their late autumn travels. The outer 

 Dowsing lightship was, for three successive days, 

 surrounded and swarmed by Rooks, Hooded Crows, 

 and Jackdaws. I am inclined to think each 

 day's visitors were fresh arrivals ; although it is 

 probable that the same flocks returned each night, 

 attracted there by the bewildering, although friendly, 

 beacon. Wearied to a degree, they settled by 

 hundreds to rest and sleep. Ropes, lantern, boats, 

 bulwarks were covered with them. On one occasion 

 my informant estimated that at least a thousand 

 birds were aboard ; and the decks in the morning 

 looked as if they had been whitewashed. 



