6o 



POOLE HARBOUR 



THE estuaries on the coast have an even greater 

 variety of wild life to amuse and interest a sea-side 

 visitor than the cliffs ; and floating on their wide 

 expanse of shallow waters, or threading the delta of 

 mud-flats and rivulets that shift with every tide, is to 

 many an experience as novel and interesting as the 

 cries and forms of the birds which haunt them. 



Sheldrakes, curlews, dotterels, plovers, herons, and 

 the like, look very different when swimming or flying, 

 and when hanging in a poulterer's shop. What strikes 

 a new-comer most is the great number of the waders 

 and other birds which he sees on his visits to any 

 favourite estuary, such as Poole Harbour, or the 

 Aldboro' river, especially when the flood-tide is 

 making, and the birds are crowded together, busily 

 feeding on such parts of the mud as are not covered 

 by the rising tide. But it must be remembered that 

 as all these birds feed mainly on the mud-flats, and 

 can only do so at low-water, they are forced to meet 

 at one time, and are obliged to feed in company, like 

 city men at luncheon. 



