106 BIRD LIFE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 



reinforced by the arrival of others of their kin which 

 have wintered further south, such as the Curlew, 

 Sandpiper, Turnstone and Godwit. Some of these, 

 together with the Grey Plover and Knot, may be met 

 with, during their short stay, in full breeding plumage. 

 The Stork, Spoonbill and Avocet stray across from 

 Holland to the tidal flats of East Anglia, and, thanks 

 to protection, have more chance than formerly of 

 escaping with their lives. The Black-throated and 

 Red-throated Divers sometimes remain until they have 

 assumed the full livery of the breeding season. Now, 

 also, the .Terns or Sea Swallows are seen once more 

 making quick headway with springy beats of their 

 wings, or neatly poising themselves and plunging along 

 the tide-edge. Small parties or " trips " of Dotterel 

 halt for a day or two upon the chalk downs on their 

 way to their nesting haunts upon the mountains of 

 the Lake District or of Scotland. 



MAY ON THE MOORS. 



It is late before spring brings any change to the dark 

 monotony of the heather-clad moors. Frequent 

 enough are chilly, sullen days when " Winter lingers in 

 the lap of May," and when, in the middle of the month, 

 there is scarcely a leaf to be seen in the oak-copse 

 which fringes the slope below the moor's edge. But 

 the moorland birds come of a hardy stock. The 



