5 THE BOOK OF MIGRATORY BIRDS 



return, and during this month are most numerous on the 

 tideways. Whether large numbers of grey geese (pink- 

 footed) which have journeyed south along the Continent 

 return via the British Isles I cannot say, but it is un- 

 doubted that when these birds are congregating to go 

 north they are seen in the largest flocks. 



Brent, compared with other fowl, reach us late. Few- 

 are here before November, and in general they are not 

 looked for in great numbers until after Christmas. The 

 severity of a winter has much to do with the number of 

 brent which reach our shores. Their proper migratory 

 season is over long before the inclement weather drives 

 them in big lots to the British Isles; thus it might be stated 

 that brent, and to an extent all geese, are subject to local 

 migration, which is partly governed by the weather. Of 

 course, brent occur every year, but for great numbers to 

 visit us we are much dependent on the severity of the 

 winter on the Continent. The severity of our winters 

 count as little on this score, except that when hard the 

 fowl are not so difficult to procure. 



Bernacle, although allied to brent, more closely resemble 

 the grey geese in their migratory movements. Being 

 marsh-feeders, bernacle geese frequent very local areas in 

 our islands. The bernacle has frequently been shot in 

 August. At this season they have been met with at places 

 which are not usually visited by them. As this fowl is 

 fairly common as an ornamental water fowl, it may be 

 possible that these early visitors are "escapes." 



In spring a return of the fowl and shore-birds takes 

 place. The wild fowl leave us in the majority first. The 

 shore-birds which have wintered further south, such as the 

 whimbrel and curlew-sandpiper pass our shores in May. 

 A few linger until the first week in June. All the summer 

 a few straggling shore-birds may be seen on the coast, 

 including godwits, turnstones, grey plover, sanderlings, 

 and knots. These may be immature which have not gone 

 on to breed, or possibly they are either barren or 

 'pricked' birds." 



