170 THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST IN SEPTEMBER 



THE NORTHUxMBERLAND COAST IN SEPTEMBER 



AN ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLE* 



By George W. Temperley 



" Time and tide wait for no man," but by reference to the 

 Nautical Almanac, man may select that time and that tide 

 which are best suited to his purpose. 



So, when the local tide-table informed us that, on September 

 the twenty-third, the tide would be at its highest two hours 

 before sunrise, we knew that the date was fixed for our 

 expedition to the Northumberland coast. What we desired 

 was to see the wide stretch of mud and sand in Budle Bay 

 lying exposed by the ebbing tide, so that we might study the 

 birds, which, in countless numbers, make it their feeding 

 ground. 



The bird life of our coast is particularly interesting in the 

 month of September, because of the great variety of species 

 which may then be met Avith. Besides those species which 

 may be called " residents," since they are found on our shores 

 all the year round, there are large numbers of " winter 

 visitors " then arriving — birds which leave our coast during 

 the breeding season, but return in the autumn to winter with 

 us. At this time we may also chance to see some of those 

 birds which only touch our shores on their southerly 

 migration, calling here for a few days or hours, while en roiite 

 for their true winter quarters. To this category belong the 

 Greenshank, the Whimbrel, the Stints, and a few other rarer 

 birds. The month of September is also interesting from the 

 fact that many of the birds are then changing or have just 

 changed their plumage, and are appearing in their winter 

 dress for the first time. 



So we set forth, well armed with the only true weapons for 

 a field naturalist — a pair of powerful prismatic binoculars and 

 a note-book and pencil. 



* An essay sent in for the Hancock Prize competition. 



