THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST IN SEPTEMBER 171 



We first struck the coast at Waren Mill, at the head of 

 Budle Bay, and there, standing on the bridge which carries 

 the road across the Waren Burn, we looked out upon the wide 

 expanse of mud, sand, and water, which lay stretched out 

 before us. After passing under the bridge the burn hurries 

 over a few mossy rocks in the form of a little cascade, and 

 then meanders out over the waste, leisurely seeking its way to 

 the sea. 



On the rocks below us stood a Dipper, anxiously bobbing 

 up and down, looking now this way now that. He had 

 evidently reached the limit of his fresh-water feeding grounds, 

 for as soon as he saw us he sped away up stream under the 

 bridge. 



From where we stood we could see the mud-banks dotted 

 over with birds as far as the eye could reach. Near at hand 

 we could distinguish long-billed Curlews stalking solemnly 

 over the green Zostera, active little Redshanks running 

 along the sandy banks of the stream, grey and white Sea- 

 gulls washing themselves assiduously in the shallower waters, 

 and pied Peewits standing on one leg sleeping in the sun. 

 By the aid of the glasses we explored the more distant reaches, 

 only to find a repetition of the same scenes — more Curlews, 

 more Redshanks, more Gulls, and more Peewits, as far as the 

 glass could carry. 



Leaving the bridge we turned along the road towards 

 Bamburgh, passing the old, and once important, mill of 

 Waren. Here we noted a large and healthy clump of 

 Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) — quite an uncommon plant 

 in the county of Northumberland. As we followed the turn- 

 pike, which here skirts the shore of the bay, fresh vistas of 

 mud and sand opened out before us, stretching away to the 

 north as far as the sand-dunes of Ross, and bordered on the 

 east by the open sea, far out across the long yellow sand-bar. 



Taking our stand by the roadside we were able to make a 

 more particular survey of the animated scene before us. Our 

 ears were assailed by the continuous screaming of the Gulls, 



