EARLY SPRING MIGRATIONS. 195 



Immigrating Lapwings, on first coming to land, sit for a time 

 very closely packed where they happen to alight, as if comparing 

 notes of their passage ; and I have often noticed that before 

 leaving their winter quarters they come together in the same way, 

 covering the land like a black sheet. 



Grey Crows have for weeks (March 24th) shown signs of 

 leave-taking, and now scarcely any of the many hundreds can be 

 seen in their winter haunts, or on the Humber tide-slobs. Black 

 Carrion Crows move about the same time, and they are very 

 numerous here in winter. I know of one small wood where 

 about two hundred have come in each night to roost. 



Golden-crested Wrens are always in evidence about the last 

 week in March, not showing in the thousands of autumn immi- 

 gration, but two and three together, and scattered all about the 

 country. When delayed in departure by unfavourable weather 

 conditions, I have known them accumulate in great numbers in 

 the Flamborough hedgerows. 



I often wonder what becomes of the Kedbreasts which in 

 October come in thousands at the same time as the Gold-crests. 

 Robins which we see at low water skulking amidst blackened 

 timbers of ancient wrecks miles from the shore — Robins in scores 

 on the bleak wind-swept fitties sheltering amongst sea-plants, or 

 on the marram-grown dune — Robins again in hundreds preening 

 and sunning on the lee side of storm-clipt hedgerows, so numerous 

 that on dull autumn days the dark strip of fence is bright as a 

 flower-bank with the gleam of so many chestnut-red spots. 

 Indications of the spring migration of Redbreasts are few ; 

 possibly they may return to their European quarters by another 

 route. At Heligoland during the first part of April they are in 

 the height of the movement. 



Woodcocks and Gold-crests (Woodcock pilots) are fellow- 

 travellers in autumn, and on the move at the same time in spring 

 from the middle to the end of March, when the former approach 

 the east coast and appear in the covers. 



Peregrines in pairs move northward along the coast in 

 March. 



Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Twites, and Yellowhammers, par- 

 ticularly the latter, come in great flocks in oat-seed time, but are 

 quickly gone, often remaining but a few hours. 



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