THE REDSHANK 



251 



among which it is built, the nest is a very difficult 

 object to photograph. While I was focussing one, 

 the cock Reed-Warbler sat about a yard away 

 singing loudly, every now and then pausing 

 and cautiously creeping from reed to reed whence 

 he could just be seen peeping through. The thick 

 reeds and sedge among which the nest was placed 

 were growing in a deep pool ; but the roots, about 

 two feet under the water, made a platform for 

 camera and operator, although a false step might 

 occasionally nearly ensure both going into the 

 black slime beneath. By the time I had finished 

 photographing this nest and packed up my camera 

 darkness came on ; and proceeding from the 

 direction of several clumps of bushes, in different 

 parts of the marsh came the curious "reeling" 

 notes of the Grasshopper- Warbler. When, how- 

 ever, one got near the bush whence the " reeling " 

 seemed to come, the sound was discovered to pro- 

 ceed from quite a different place, almost leading one 

 to think that these birds must have some kind of 

 ventriloquial powers. Almost at midnight I have 

 heard one " reeling " in a similar way. 



In whatsoever direction we -went in Norfolk, 

 there we seemed to come upon the Redshank ; 

 one or two places appeared to swarm with them, 

 and as we passed they would rise and fly about 



