THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST IN SEPTEMBER l8l 



Last year we found a colony of Black Cormorants breeding 

 on the Fame Islands, but although there were one or two 

 Shags with them, the Shags were not nesting there. 



We noticed that when the Shag dives it jerks its body out 

 of the water as it puts down its head, in order that the full 

 weight of its body may be behind its shoulders, and so insure 

 a deeper dive. 



Far out at sea we saw, now and then, a Razorbill flying low 

 over the waves, with much steady flapping of wings, followed 

 by long gliding sweeps. One of them settled on the water 

 near enough for us to see by the aid of the glass that it was 

 certainly a Razorbill and not a Gui-llemot. The upturned tail 

 and thicker bill identified it at once ; the white under parts 

 extending up to the bill showed that it had adopted its 

 winter plumage. 



But the tide was now well up, and the flocks of waders 

 were one by one leaving the rocks and flying off to some safer 

 resting place, there to await the ebb. Now a flock of Oyster 

 Catchers would go, now a group of Knots, and lastly, with 

 evident reluctance, a little bunch of Turnstones. The Eiders 

 too were on the move. They had gradually been drifting 

 down the coast with the tide, and suddenly the whole flock 

 took wing, and flew heavily but rapidly out to sea. 



Continuing our way along the sandy beach we saw several 

 flocks of Gulls sitting or standing in little groups, or paddling 

 in the shallow water. Most of them were immature birds — 

 Herring Gulls chiefly. As we approached they rose from the 

 sand, running a few steps with necks outstretched and wings 

 raised, to gain sufficient impetus to launch themselves into 

 the air. 



Arriving at the next reef, called the Greenhill rocks, we 

 were just in time to see the last little flocks of Redshanks, 

 Ringed Plover, and Turnstones take their departure as the in- 

 coming waves submerged their feeding grounds. 



A bird floating just beyond tlie breakers here attracted our 

 attention, and turning our glasses upon it we made it out to 



