RINGED PLOVEB
C1IARADRII 'S HIJTICl LA.
THE Ringed Plover or Dotterel, as this Ipectri is sometimes culled, is .a resident on our shores, being
mot with in larger or smaller uumliers on nil parts of the coast-line of the British Islands that am
suitable to its habits. To the marsh.s surrounding the freshwater broads of the east of Norfolk it is a
frequent visitor, though not a summer resident ; on the warrens further inland several pairs of these
birds, however, take up their quarters early in the spring and rear their young. In many parts of the
Highlands Bulged Plovers resort to the shores of the loelis and the stony hanks adjoining the course, of
the rivers, taking up their quarters within a short distance of the water-side and departing with their
broods for the sen-coast early in the autumn.
The eggs of the Ringed Plover are usually laid on sand, tine gravel, or shingle near the sea-shore,
the river-bunks, or the lochs where the birds have taken up their quarters. The nest, if it mav he so
termed, is occasionally merely a natural hollow or depression in the surface; nt times it is evident ly
scratehed out and a lining of small stones carefully added. In .May 1806, while staying at Bye in Sussex,
I discovered a most elaborately constructed cradle on a grass-marsh, only a couple of years reclaimed by a
mud wall from the saltwater flats of the Nook. Here in the fresh green turf the birds had scraped out
a well-formed circular nest, in which they had arranged a copious lining iif small Hat white shells*.
Considerable labour and time had evidently been expended in the collection of this attractive lining, as
the whole must have 1 u transported from the beach or shingle-banks, between a quarter and half a
mile distant.
At the commencement of the Preservation Act, when freed from the general persecution to which
they hud been exposed, the whole of the smaller TVadcrs became at once exceedingly unsuspicious of
danger. While on Breydon mudilats on the morning of the tith of May, 1673, I remarked that the
large flocks of Dunlins and Ringed Plovers drawn up alongside the channel [mid but little attention
to the gunning-punt, even when approaching to within the distance of three or four yards, affording
excellent chances for watching their actions as well as detecting any rarities in their ranks. Hundreds
that were resting on one leg, with the head turned over on the back, only hopped a yard or two further
Ringed Plover vary considerably in sice and colouring; tho-e that remain along our southern coastline
during winter and take up their breeding-quarters in early spring on the extensive shingle-banks of
Kent and Sussex are a far larger race or form than those that reach these i-lanils from across the
Channel in docks early in May. The residents, in addition to being considerably larger and consequently
* Tbia lining waa nmovfu and carefully parked away : bairns been, how CUT, unfortunate!)mi>laid orW.il is MS ami at hand 1 o refer in.
Toll") beat of my memoiy il wm mostly, if luil entirely. ip.iw.1 .if Slnnll nmnil "belli, iiinl aim liull- .if shell-, null u -hilling MIWJ ranting in
ii.e Mete of lh« •':•!.