1 92 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



ally seen in what were once its accustomed haunts, 

 during its passage to and from more northern 

 breeding - grounds. It appears as if all the 

 descendants of these Godwits that used to breed 

 here are gone, and the birds that pass in spring 

 are those which have wandered a little too far 

 to the westward in their northern flight. The 

 nearly black tail, white wing-bar, and recurved 

 bill are distinguishing characteristics of this 

 species. Its note also is remarkable, a shrill, 

 far-sounding til-it. 



The commonest species of Wader upon the 

 widely Broads is the REDSHANK (Totanus calidris). We 

 ted ' have already noticed him on the wild northern 

 moors, whither he also retires to rear his young, 

 and now we will glance more fully at his habits 

 during that interesting period. We shall also 

 have cause to notice him yet once again when 

 our rambles take us along the shore. The Red- 

 shank, like most other birds of this order, changes 

 its ground with the season ; thus in spring it quits 

 the mud-bound coasts and retires to the moors 

 and marshes to breed. Here, in the district of 

 the Broads, as soon as signs of returning spring 

 appear, the Redshank comes. We may soon 

 know that the birds are back again, for they are 

 noisy and wary enough, rising from the marshes 

 as soon as we set foot upon their haunt, and as 

 they are remarkably social birds, even during the 

 breeding season, numbers may be seen careering 

 about the air uttering their expressive double note 

 of ti-ik, ti-ik. Few birds look prettier or daintier 

 as they stand upon the little hillocks on their long 

 slender orange-coloured legs, or run to and fn> 

 round the clear pools or even along the walls 



