THE BIEDS OF GEE AT YARMOUTH. 



159 



local gunners having, as a rule, respect for the enforcement of the 

 Protection Acts by the Breydon Protection Committee, who 

 employ a watcher, and with gratifying results. The following 

 figures, culled from the rough log-book of " Ducker " Chambers, 

 the watcher, which has been kept by him in a most spasmodic 

 sort of way for eleven years, will give a fairly good idea of the 

 frequency and numbers of spring migrants visiting Breydon on 

 their northward journey. Small migrants have been seldom 

 noted ; of course over such a vast area many birds escape identi- 

 fication. A careful and enthusiastic observer might compile a 

 vastly superior list both in numbers and species. 







March-June, 1890. 



March 2nd, 



1890. 



200 to 300 Wigeon and Mallard. 



„ 5th, 



»> 



65 Shovelers. 



„ 6th, 



5» 



11 Geese. 



„ 9th, 



JJ 



300 Wigeon, Golden-eyes ; many small birds. 



May 14th, 



»> 



60 Godwits, Whimbrel, Plovers. 



„ 24th, 



JJ 



Several Greenshanks and Kedshanks. 



„ 25th, 



?» 



6 Cormorants ; several Black Terns. 



June 4th, 



>f 



4 Shelducks. 



„ 13th, 



»J 



3 Bernacle-Geese. 

 March-August, 1898. 



March 3rd, 



1898. 



2 Swans. 



„ 4th, 



>? 



3 Golden-eyes. 



„ 9th, 



?» 



300 Wigeon, Pintails, Shovelers. 



„ 10th, 



5? 



1000 Wigeon (about). 



April 8th, 



5* 



1 Spoonbill. 



„ 16th, 



J5 



1 Swan. 



May 16th, 



>» 



700 Godwits; plenty Whimbrel, Plovers, &c. 



„' 24th, 



5> 



2 Goosanders. 



„ 27th, 



») 



2 Spoonbills. 



June 14th, 



»> 



2 Spoonbills, 



Aug. 12th, 



JJ 



400 Curlews. 



The Broads, although slowly growing up, are still extensive. 

 They have a beauty quite their own in their leafy setting of reeds 

 and rushes. Of late years the rage for " doing " the Broads has 

 banished the privacy and security which at one time characterized 

 them. Some nesting species have disappeared, as the Bittern, 

 the Godwit, the Black Tern, and the Ruff; whilst among some 

 remaining a perceptible decrease is apparent, as in the case of 

 the Bearded Tit. Many non-residents have become scarcer, 

 although in sharp winters numbers of wildfowl drop in. The 

 Crested Grebe fortunately appears to be on the increase. 



