202
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
There was one adult male and the remainder were females or juveniles. The
brown band across the breasts of the latter was very conspicuous and when
in flight the broad white patch on the wing was also distinctive. They
uttered a gold-finch-like twittering and were very tame. (P.R.A., A.M.)
wood-lark (Lullula arborea)
Reported in Berechurch area, winter 1948-9. (A.M.)
[rock-pipit (Anthus spinoletta)]
Two at Lee-over-Sands, near St. Osyth, January 12th, 1949. Very like
Meadow-Pipits except that they appeared to be a far more olive-green
colour and the legs were brown not yellowish. They were also not so
striated with brown on back and breast as is the Meadow-Pipit. A much
darker bird altogether which A.M. considers might be a Water-Pipit. Regular
winter visitor. (P.R.A., A.M.)
spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
An albino bird seen on a post at Lexden on September 11th, 1948, re-
mained most of the afternoon and then flew off in a northerly direction.
It possessed all the characteristics of a flycatcher, including that of flying
out to catch flies. It had a white head and cream upper parts shading to a
fawn colour on the edges of the wings. (P.R.A., A.M.)
redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
A female at Lee Wick, April 13th, 1949. (P.R.A.)
buzzard (Buteo sp.)
Reported at Lexden and Polstead, September 1948. (A.M.)
peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
One at Abberton, September 1948. (A.M.) One at Abberton, February
5th, 1949. (M.J.A.)
common heron (Ardea cinerea)
A heronry was located in a small copse near Peldon on April 6th, 1949.
It was situated in the rookery there. There were certainly four nests, possibly
five or six. We were unable to ascertain the number of inhabited nests.
(P.R.A., A.M.). Seven new nests at Abberton on April 2nd, 1949. (Young
present). (M.J.A.)
mute swan (Cygnus olor)
c. 250 in the Stour, September 20th. 1949. c. sixty at Abberton Reservoir,
September 1949. Nearly always present there but numbers fluctuate
widely. (P.R.A., A.M.)
BRENT goose (Branta bernicla)
Regular winter visitor to Colne and Blackwater estuaries. The largest
flock I have seen was one of c. 400 several years ago at Lee Wick. Small
parties often remain into April (A.M.) Twenty at Lee Wick, January 12th,
1949 (P.R.A.) c. 150 at West Mersea, February 10th, 1949. c. 250 at
Bradwell, March 26th, 1949. (M.J.A.)
teal (Anas crecca)
c. 500 at Abberton Reservoir, September 24th, 1949. (M.J.A.)
GARGANEY (Anas querquedula)
At least two pairs at Abberton Reservoir in April 1948. Two pairs
April 6th, 1949, four drakes and two ducks on April 17th, 1949, at Abberton
Reservoir. Two drakes and one duck at East Mersea, April 1949. (P.R.A.,
A.M.)
wigeon (Anas penelope)
c. seventy at Canvey Point, February 2nd, 1949.
c. 200 at West Mersea, February 10th, 1949.