2 So Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



the coast towards Norfolk or passing inland. A 

 gale, especially about the time of a new moon, would 

 be sure to bring us interesting birds to the coast. 

 Then the Fork-tailed Petrel would as likely as not 

 be driven ashore; and at such times we have seen 

 Stormy Petrels flitting about over the roofs of the 

 cottages at Friskney lost birds that had rashly 

 entered the enclosed waters of the Wash and been 

 blown before the stiff nor'-easter right on to the land. 

 Now and then a Fulmar would be caught in the 

 flight nets, and Little Gulls and Great Gray Shrikes 

 appear, whilst the late autumn days sometimes brings 

 a succession of flocks of Ring Doves and many odd 

 Bitterns. Now and then a rare Lapland Bunting 

 is detected along the shores of the Wash; we have 

 shot it there in November close to Wainfleet haven. 

 The Shore Lark is also occasionally met with in this 

 district. 



The mortality amongst these autumn migrants 

 can scarcely be over-estimated. Young birds of 

 course predominate in every species, and it is among 

 them that the death-rate is highest. Gales and dark 

 nights, with driving rain or fog, are exceptionally 

 fatal to these journeying birds across the German 

 Ocean. Some of the scenes at the lighthouses and 

 light-ships along the coasts of these northern shires 

 are most impressive on such nights as these. The 

 lost bewildered birds, attracted by the glare of the 



