'Twixt Bamburgh and Lindisfarne 



castle of Bamburgh. The Megstone Rock harboured many 

 cormorants, which, through the glass could, even at this dis- 

 tance, clearly be seen as they busied themselves with their 

 nest-building, and on the grassy slopes of the more outlying 

 islands lesser black-backed gulls, newly arrived from their 

 winter quarters, could be seen resting in their hundreds. As 

 the crow, or, perhaps, as one might more fittingly say, the 

 solan, flies, the distance between Bamburgh and Lindisfarne 

 is not much above five miles; but unless the tide be low the 

 pedestrian is forced to make a wide detour, for the estuary of 

 Budle, a somewhat dull and uninteresting spot, lies in the 

 way. 



On the north side of this estuary many primroses were 

 in flower on the grassy banks, and among the tall hedges 

 willow warblers flitted, from time to time tuning up their 

 notes, though their sweet song was as yet feeble after their 

 long overseas flight. Here, too, a carrion crow was brooding 

 her four speckled eggs, being pursued with vigour directly 

 she left her nest by the adjoining community of nesting 

 lapwings. 



As we reached the wide Ross Links many redshank 

 hovered tremulously overhead, uttering their quickly-repeated, 

 flute-like song, or else piping in alarm as their nesting site 

 was approached. We discovered no fewer than four of their 

 nests. In no case had the full complement of eggs been 

 laid, while in the vicinity of every nest with eggs were — ^as 

 is usually the case with the tribe of the waders — several 

 scrapes, made before the final selection was decided upon. 

 In one instance a redshank's nest was found within ten feet 

 of that of a lapwing, this being unusually close for two birds 

 of different species to nest. 



Crossing the Ross Links and travelling at express speed 

 a flock of dunlin passed us on their northward migration, 

 eagerly pressing forward towards their goal. On the Fen- 

 ham Slakes, that great extent of mud that stretches away for 

 miles south-west and west of Lindisfarne, the tide was low, 



