no BIRD-LIFE IN WEST-HIGHLAND PARISH 



Ayrshire ; and the wood pigeon finds a safe 

 asylum in the wooded islands of the loch. 



Across the loch a wide-spreading bay, where 

 a little wooded river flows in between gently 

 sloping grassy banks, far from traffic or habita- 

 tion, affords a pleasant spectacle on a fine spring 

 day. Black, ugly cormorants will be there, lesser 

 black-backed gulls with their harsh barking cry, 

 common gulls in plenty, black-headed gulls, 

 perhaps a herring-gull or two ; one wonders that 

 any trout remain at all. More rarely a heron 

 may be seen, their nearest breeding-place an 

 island in a far distant loch ; but wild duck and 

 wigeon one may expect to find ; the last has now 

 been ascertained to nest on the loch, thanks to 

 the labours of an enthusiastic lady naturalist. 

 In winter these are joined by pochard and 

 goldeneye, the latter remaining often far into 

 spring, and raising hopes that some day they 

 too may remain to nest. Hollow trees, which 

 form their favourite nesting-place, are at any 

 rate here to hand. Pintail have been seen on a 

 neighbouring hill-loch as late as June, and such 

 hill-lochs are the favourites of the little teal. On 

 the grassy shores the quaint red-beaked oyster- 

 catchers catch the eye by their bright colouring, 

 the redshank rises with its plaintive note, and 

 the sandpiper runs questing along the margin. 



