Birds of the Sea- Shore 



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the sand, and here and there are stretches of large 

 pebbles, grown over and bound together by beds 

 of mussels so closely that large pools of water 

 remain when the tide has receded, and around 

 them numbers of birds are feeding. Their 

 tremulous whistling reaches us, and so deceptive 

 is the sound, that we could easily imagine the 

 birds were within a few yards of us. They 

 will not allow a close approach, for a few 

 Curlews, more wary, perhaps, than any other 

 shore-birds, start up, uttering their penetrating 

 alarm note, " gurleek, gurleek," till they impart 

 their fears to the Gulls and Oystercatchers, and 

 they, too, take flight. 



What a bold contrast of colour these Oyster- 

 catchers present ! black, white and orange in the 

 closest juxtaposition. The fisherman's name for 

 them Sea-pie is no misnomer. Some still 

 remain standing on the larger stones, despite the 

 Curlew's warning, and allow us to approach almost 

 within a gunshot. The orange-coloured bill is 

 long, straight, and shaped like a vertical wedge, 

 eminently suitable for prising open mussels, or 

 dislodging limpets from the rocks. The head, 

 neck and back are black, as also are the wings, with 

 the exception of a broad white slanting bar, which 

 is, however, not visible until the bird takes flight. 

 The lower part of the back, the upper half of 

 the tail, and the underparts are white, while the 

 tail is terminated with a broad band of black. 

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