BIRDS 



I have observed individuals along the dykes of has even nested in Chatham Dockyard [Zool. 



our marsh land and running streams in the 

 Weald. I have searched in vain for the nest 

 of this species in many portions of Kent and 

 have carefully watched the birds, but they 

 never remained for any length of time in one 

 locality. In 1896, near Rye, I flushed a pair 

 along one of the marshland dykes as late as 

 30 May. I was in hopes of finding a nest, 

 but the birds disappeared a few days later. 



222. Wood-Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (J. 



F. Gmelin) 

 This species, locally known as 'autumn 

 snipe,' is of very irregular occurrence, and 

 during the autumn one or two stragglers are 

 the most that appear along the dykes of our 

 marsh land. Its migration seems to touch 

 our coast but slightly, and then the bird 

 resorts to sheltered ditches whose banks are 

 bordered with mud and rushes in preference 

 to the exposed shore line. 



223. Green Sandpiper. Totanus ochropus 



(Linn.) 

 From the middle of July to the beginning 

 of October small parties of this species come 

 and go in the vicinity of our marsh land ; 

 yet individuals may be observed at practi- 

 cally all seasons of the year about our ponds 

 in the county. These birds on migration 

 fly at a considerable altitude, pitching al- 

 most vertically down to their feeding grounds, 

 where towards sunset they become very noisy 

 with their sharp ' wheet-wheet, wheet- 

 wheet ' cries. Sheltered ditches are favourable 

 resorts. There is no positive evidence of this 

 bird breeding in the county, although in i860 

 a pair remained about the Rainham marshes 

 throughout the summer (Prentis, Birds of 

 Rainham, p. 60). I have never observed this 

 species in the county in spring. In the Maid- 

 stone Museum are three specimens obtained 

 at Linton. 



224. Redshank. Totanus calidris (Linn.) 

 Locally, Red-leg, Tooke. 



A well distinguished resident outside the 

 Weald, resorting to our marsh land to breed 

 and then to the mud-flats in autumn. 

 Owing to drainage and cultivation its numbers 

 have considerably diminished of late years, and 

 it is also persecuted by the country people, 

 who take the eggs for eating. The principal 

 breeding localities are Romney Marsh and 

 the Lydd beach. In the north of the county 

 it is less plentiful, but breeds in the Rainham 

 and Stour marshes : on the low-lying ground 

 about the Medway between Chatham and 

 Sheerness, and in the Wingham marshes. It 



i»8t), p. 332}. Redshanks pair about the 

 middle of April, and at this time are con- 

 stantly on the move uttering their wild and 

 pleasing cries throughout the day and also at 

 night. About the end of July they begin to 

 flock and are then difficult to approach ; they 

 leave towards the end of September. 



225. Spotted Redshank. Totanus fuscus {hmn.) 

 A scarce autumn migrant. It has been 

 obtained on the Medway 20 October 1882 

 (Prentis) ; on the river Stour (9 September 

 Zool. 1889, p. 435, Dowker) ; and at Dover 

 and Lydd (Plomley collection). Lastly, I 

 have a pair of fine adult birds, killed near 

 Lydd on 12 September 1899. 



Totanus canescens (J. F. 



226. Greenshank. 



Gmelin) 



Towards the end of August small parties 

 of immature birds put in an appearance on 

 our north and south coasts, but on the spring 

 migration it is seldom met with. 



227. Bar-tailed Godwit. Lintosa lapponica 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Petsel. 

 A common migrant in spring and autumn 

 to the mud-flats and sandy portions of our 

 shore line, being seldom observed in spring on 

 the north coast. Adults in the red breeding 

 plumage are scarce. Throughout May small 

 parties break their passage on the south coast, 

 but nearly all these are still in their winter 

 dress. In the beginning of September flocks 

 of immature birds, numbering sometimes over 

 thirty, appear on the mud-flats and marsh land 

 near the coast, and are very often to be found 

 in company with curlews. 



228. Black-Tailed Godwit. Limosa belgica 



(J. F. Gmelin) 

 A scarce migrant in spring and autumn, 

 occasionally in winter. In January 1 88 1 

 several immature birds were seen on the 

 Medway and one was shot. On 20 October 

 1882 another was obtained (Prentis). On 

 21 August 1896 an immature bird was shot 

 on the Lydd beach, and two more (a pair) on 

 20 September {Zool. 1896, pp. 411, 413). 

 These specimens are in my collection. 



229. Common Curlew. Numenius arquata 



(Linn.) 

 Towards the end of August the curlew 

 comes to the mud-flats on our north coast 

 and to the Lydd beach on the south. In the 

 latter locality I have seen flocks numbering 

 over 200 birds. In the early morning these 

 flocks repair to the neighbouring grass fields 



297 



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