260
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
over the farm every evening, just standing against the wind. 20th. A brood
of Spotted Flycatchers being fed on our fence, our first successful brood for
a couple of years. 31st. Warblers of several kinds passing southwards
all day. A definite migratory movement and very early. Our farm, with
its hedges leading towards the river, is the bottleneck and the jumping-off
site before the birds cross the Crouch southwards.
August. 1st. Over 50 Swallows on H.T. wires at dusk. 3rd. An albino
Starling near the station. 13th. Whimbrel are back again and are heard
passing over at midnight. 14th. Pied Flycatcher on passage appears every
year at the same place on the farm. It is remarkable, surely, that of the
half-dozen or less recorded in the County, the bulk are seen on a certain
strip of our fencing year by year. Five Whimbrel over Stow Creek. 15th.
A Garden-Warbler eating plums in our garden. Pied Flycatchers still
here. About 70 Swallows on the H.T. wires at dusk. 16th. A Sloe hedge
leading south to the river is full of Warblers of all kinds. 21st. Oyster-
catchers calling as they pass up-river. 25th. Garden-Warblers again
feeding on plums. A Great Spotted Woodpecker here today. At least
12 Spotted Flycatchers on wire fence. 26th. I saw a young Robin eating
Honeysuckle berries. 28th. Pied Flycatcher again seen. 29th. Several
hundred Swallows massing
September. 4th. Saw a Black Tern catching flies over the flooded marsh.
6th. Many Wheatears on fresh-water marsh near here. A Willow-Warbler
was bullying other birds and specially Swallows sunning themselves on
the roof. 7th. Swallows massing in large numbers. Many Yellow Wagtails
catching flies at the cows' feet; in bright sunshine they blend so well with
the green and yellow that they are almost invisible. 11th. A local brood
of Spotted Flycatchers feeding on flies. A Sedge-Warbler in the garden.
12th. Chiffchaffs singing. Willow-Warblers are now scarce, but White-
throats are still about. 19th. Yellow Wagtails and many Spotted
Flycatchers: also two Pied Flycatchers. Chiffchaffs, Turtle Doves,
Willow-Warblers and Whitethroats still with us. A single Swift flying
with Swallows in the evening. 22nd. Sedge-Warbler here and a Chiffchaff
still singing. 25th. Swallows and Warblers now scarce. 26th. A Marsh-Tit
in the plum trees. 28th. A Pied Flycatcher seen. About 50 House-Martins
flying high up at 8 a.m.
October. 1st. A large flight of Swallows and House-Martins passing
through; our own have all gone. 2nd. Pied Flycatchers still here. 3rd. A
lovely day with a steady stream of Swallows and House-Martins and small
unidentified birds passing south at 300 to 500 feet. 6th. A few Swallows
flyins; very high. 8th. Eight Pied Wagtails on shore-line. 12th. Thirty-six
Swallows and House-Martins on the wires. 16th. Many Swallows and
House-Martins rushing south all day. Redwings passing over at night.
19th. About 30 Swallows today. After this a few odd ones were seen—the
last on the 29th. 31st. A Goldcrest seen.
November. 1st. Two more Goldcrests. 3rd. Seven House-Martins seen
over the orchard. 7th. Fieldfares here in force. Six Widgeon and a
Peregrine Falcon. 9th. While driving a patch of kale for foxes, a Water-
Rail flew out and settled close to me. 10th. One House-Martin. 13th. One
Swallow around the farm all day. 24th. A Lesser Whitethroat in the
orchard.
December. 1st. The Lesser Whitethroat is still working the apple trees.
This bird was seen again on the 10th but not after, and must surely have
succumbed to the cold. 21st. Large numbers of Redwings, Fieldfares and
Lapwings on the fields. 28th. Saw a pair of Shovelers fly into our marsh.
Goldfinches feeding on the Teazle heads which we have preserved for them.
29th. Mistle-Thrush singing.