10 JULY 1947, Page 17

Brave Birds How little the birds mind loud noises! On

Scolt Head I was nearly deafened by the excruciating clamour of anti-aircraft fire from the near- by practice ground ; drums of the targets floated very near to the sanctuary. Yet the great company of Common and Sandwich terns nest- ing on the shore and the dunes, the ringed plover and oyster-catchers, and indeed the duck, paid not the slightest attention. So careless may be pheasants, as I have seen, of rifle-fire. They used to feed peacefully just outside ao'Berkshire plantation which sheltered a rifle-range. The bullets must often have passed only a yard or two above their undisturbed heads. On the other hand, the seals which are numerous just off Scolt Head disappear at once when the firing begins.