BIRD NOTES 159 



repeatedly disturbed, to certain chosen localities. I 

 have noticed this propensity for " locality " by pre- 

 ference in several birds. The Redshanks bred on the 

 Waveney and Bure marshes, in August invariably 

 frequent a flat near the Lockgate Farm, two miles 

 from the Vauxhall Station, on the North Walls 

 of Breydon. This is quite in front of the rond- 

 cutting in which my houseboat has been moored for 

 several years. As soon as the water falls the birds 

 come back to the flat, determinedly feeding there 

 until the returning flood once more washes them off 

 it. A large rond, a few hundred yards from my 

 location, is used at high water by Curlews, who 

 retire to its sheltering grasses to preen their plumage 

 and sleep until the falling tide allows them again 

 a footing on the mud flats. The Saddleback Gulls 

 prefer the five-stake drain "lumps" for a sleeping 

 resort. There stands a tall tree or two on the west 

 side of St. Nicholas Church. There, at the closing 

 of the day, at certain periods of the year, gather 

 together for a noisy concert hundreds of Sparrows, 

 before scattering to their several sleeping-places. 



The Hoopoe has this peculiar habit of returning to 

 a favourite spot even after being disturbed. An old 

 gunner, named Sampson, who when a young man 



