40 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
repeatedly its plaintive quee, quee, quee. Naturally we were delighted at this
initial success and my stockman and all interested friends in the village kept
their ears open to plot the bird's movements throughout the days to follow.
At times we were of the opinion that there were two birds calling, but as
none saw the two birds at the same moment we can only vouch for one bird.
I had the good fortune to show the bird to many interested bird watchers;
amongst them was Mr. Pyman, the official recorder of the Essex Bird Watch-
ing and Preservation Society, who, by the way, had never seen or heard the
species before. Our bird spent eleven days in the vicinity and paid numerous
visits to our prepared sites, flying from one to the other, and it was obviously
looking for a likely nesting place and calling for a mate which apparently
never turned up.
Perhaps in conclusion I might inquire whether only the male bird calls
quee, quee, quee—or do both sexes use the same call? We look forward to
Spring 1952 and hope for better results then.
Jack T. Friedlein
Woodlark at Woodford.—As the Woodlark appears to be increasing in
Essex, it may be of interest to report that a pair appeared here in February
1951. They nested and were out with the first brood of three on 2 May. After
a week they disappeared from this locality. Last year they remained and bred
again. Sparrow-Hawks and Kestrels have been hunting here frequently this
summer and I wonder whether they have driven the Woodlarks away.
(Mrs.) P. Harris
A breeding colony of the Black-headed Gull.—Last year I reported that I
thought there was probably a breeding colony of the Black-headed Gull on
Bridgemarsh Island (see Vol. 28, p. 289).
Mr. G. A. Pyman has now kindly informed me that a member of the Essex
Bird Watching and Preservation Society landed on the Island at his request
at the end of May 1951 and reported a prosperous colony of at least 200 pairs,
but probably substantially more.
Mr. Pyman writes: "Now that the island at Abberton Reservoir has dis-
appeared, this gullery would now appear to be the second largest in the
county; the largest, which I visited this year, being Horsey Island with up to
750 pairs."
Richard Ward
Unusual occurrence at Chingford.—The Warren Pond, Chingford, was the
scene of a remarkable occurrence in June 1951. The pond is near the ground
of the Connaught Tennis Club, known to some people as Barn Hoppet, and
is not far from Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge. Like many other Forest
ponds it is an old gravel pit. In its centre is an island which is partly sur-
rounded by vegetable growth, mainly Typha angustifolia L., Narrow-leaved
Reed-mace. What I relate is based on hearsay but the main facts are beyond
dispute. At some time early in the month two large parts of the growth of T.
angustifolia between the island and the tennis club ground became detached,
presumably under the force of a strong southerly breeze, and drifted to the
north-western end of the pond, where they met shallow water and growths of
Hippuris vulgaris L., and ceased their travels. I am told that the two areas of
reed-mace moved separately, and were in motion for twenty minutes. Swans,
moorhens, and possibly mallard nest amongst the reed-mace nearly every year.
The swans' nest was in the part of the growth which became adrift first.
There were eggs in the nest, which made the journey safely, but was very
exposed and rather dangerously near the bank in so much frequented an area.