Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-18
THE RAvENGLAss CUTLERY
Nesting Place of Birds on Northwest
Coast of England.
From the London Spectator.

hrpin iohunn spectator
AT Ravenglass. on the Cumberland coast.
three small rivers. descending from the lake
country. flow into the sea together. They
join and form wide and muddy estuary,
which is separated from the Sea by a bank
OF sand hills At one end OF this range cf
hillocks there is n gap. through which the
tide rises and falls in the estuary. and the
fresh waters OF the Esk the Mite and the
lrt make their way into the ocean Al the
other end the sandhills are connected with
the mainland. near the village OF Drigg.
about three miles up the coast
on TINS breezy and secluded peninsula
oiack-heaced gulls have formed a CUTLERY
or nesting colony The range OF dunes is
ABOUT malt a mile wide and three miles
long. On the one side is the Irish sea
breaking upon long stretch OF sandy
shore. On the other side the muddy waters
OF the tidal river ebb and flow. AT low tia.
one can wade across: at high tide one can
cross In a boat from Ravenglass There is
always certain charm about the flats
ROUND an estuary. pleasing c0lnrirls
strange vegetation and plentiful bird life
are produced or attracted by the brackish
water. At Ravonglass you have In addition
a background of mountains. The C,imber-
land tells rise green and brown in the SIM
SHINE. with Sea fell Pike canned Nitb u-hf,a
clouds, in the furthest distance
To Visit this spot In May during the nest
ing season of the gulls. IS one of the most
agreeable and wonderful excursions that
an ornithologiSt can enjoy Having crossed
the estuary. You land upon a bank or Vrat
ana crunching shingle. which changes as
you advance into the purest and drisst
sahd In front rises the long, low range Of
sandhiIlS. and even al a distance tho r,irs
or the gulls, flying round above their mates
are noisy and Stridenf. The hills for tbs
most part produce nothing but dry graz,
sea-grass Some slopes have nothing N
tnem put pure, dry drifted sand. Occasion
any the hol1ows, where a richer soil ,,ro
Vaiis. are filled with a tnIerahla fr,rf ard
carpeted with vioets and thrift. Fyer,-
where lie broken shells. scraps of seau,,,.1
ana Wreckage, and the bleached and scat
.ereo bones OF deceased rabbits How long
the gulls have resorted to this site M
record apparently exists Under the nro
lection of Lord Muncaster the colony has
vastly increased In the last ten or twent,-
immemoriaI '''''
But until comparatively recent DAYS tho
eggs We're carried off In basketfuls. and the
parent birds so much prosecuted that they
could hardly hold their own. Now they
nest In security. and a yIeiIant kaeney
watches over their safety Although the
nirus nave so greatly increased in numbers
IL may he that the original ancestors of tho
existing colony saw the Roman lestnns
marching up Eskdale. and supplied fresh
Eggs Tor the Roman garrison which guard
ed the ford below Muncaster castle Mos
guns are gregarfous during the nesting
season. and have a strong attachment f,r
'meIr ola MONIES. Some species choose rocky
enhs- olhers prefer TO nest upon the
ground. IN marshes or on sandhIlls some
times at some distance from the sea Tho
plack-headed gulls are of the latter rlaeS
ana their colonies are well known I'm MANY
counties. There can, however be very few
gulleries so large and so fourishing as This
present one. Many acres of these durns
are occupied by their nests often aln,nsr
touchihs, sometimes a few yards apart