THE COMMON WHIMBREL 



NUMENIUS PHCEOPUS 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : " Titterel," 

 " May Bird," " Jack Curlew." 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : A regular and widely 

 distributed visitor on spring and autumn migration, a few 

 remaining to breed in the Hebrides and on the Orkneys 

 and Shetlands, and small numbers remaining on the 

 coasts to winter. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : Very similar remarks apply to the Whimbrel as 

 to the Curlew in the Metropolitan area. Great numbers 

 of Whimbrels pass over London on migration in spring 

 and autumn, and so far as the northern suburbs are con- 

 cerned I can personally testify to the frequency of these 

 journeying bands crossing the sky. For nights together 

 they may be heard passing, uttering their unmistakable 

 cries, especially in the vicinity of Harlesden, Kilburn, and 

 Hampstead, and quite unsuspected by the majority of 

 people below them. Records are to hand from all parts 

 of the outlying suburbs of the occasional occurrence of 

 the Whimbrel. A party of thirty birds were observed in 

 the autumn of 1894 close to the grand stand on Epsom 

 racecourse. The bird is well known on the Essex and 

 Kentish saltings, and occasionally visits Wanstead, Epping, 

 the Welsh Harp, Kingsbury, and the open grounds in the 

 vicinity of the Metropolis. 



The Whimbrel is so regular in its spring migrations that 

 it is known in many localities as the " May Bird," its 

 appearance on May Day being so unerring. It may be 

 confidently expected in the London area any favourable 

 night during the first half of that month. I have many 

 records of these migrating bands of Whimbrels passing 

 over the Metropolis always at night. First the well- 



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