126 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
acting just like a Tree-Creeper. The first Swallow passed through at 1 p.m.
A single Fieldfare flew out of our thicket and headed north. 19th. Three
Swallows here all day twittering happily in the lovely sunshine. Willow-
Warbler abundant around our small thickets. 20th. Swallows increasing
steadily. 21st. A Nightingale singing all day in the thicket. 22nd.
The first Cuckoo calling. 23rd. Nightingale in full song at 12.30 a.m. The
first Turtle-Dove in the late afternoon. 27th. A pair of Long-tailed Tits
around the old garden. Nightingale in full song. 28th. A Sedge-Warbler in
full melodious song at midnight. 29th. The first Swift sailing high in the
clear blue sky at 5.30 p.m. The Nightingale has been silent for a night or
two. No Nightingale has succeeded in living in the top thicket for some
years. I fear that Tawny Owls are led to it by its song and devour it.
May 1st. Drought and high temperatures bad for birds and beasts.
6th. Saw a Wheatear on Hollington's marsh. Whimbrel calling in our marsh.
7th. Saw a Bed-backed Shrike on the railway bank at Shotgate. 8th. A
Swift dashing to and fro over the farm at 7 p.m. 9th. Four Swifts here
today. A Mistle-Thursh nesting in the elm by the dairy. 11th. The Sedge-
Warbler has moved several hundred yards farther north and is still singing
well. 12th. Whimbrel and Oyster-Catcher calling at night. House-Martins
at Stowe and at home. Swifts and Whimbrel still here. 13th. A Turtle-
Dove dead in the orchard, unmarked and in perfect condition. Odd! 14th. A
pair of Yellow Wagtails feeding near the marsh. Whimbrel passing west-
ward, calling. 15th. The Yellow Wagtails still here, perhaps nesting in
the vicinity. Whimbrel still here. Young Song Thrushes and Robins on the
wing. 16th. A big increase in House-Martins. 19th. Several Whimbrel
flew north-east calling at 10 p.m. 22nd. A Sedge-Warbler in our wild iris
patch. 26th. A very strong north-easter blowing, smashing tree branches
and doing lots of damage to birds' nests. 29th. A pair of Spotted Flycatchers
arrived today. 30th. A pair of Whinchats nesting at Shotgate.
June 12th. A brood of Bullfinches on the wing. 13th. Spotted Fly-
catchers busy round the cowshed. 15th. House-Martins are having a bad
time at the Station—several nests have been ruined by House-Sparrows.
July 9th. Kestrels "cree-cree-creeing" in the field. The. Spotted Fly-
catchers' "wee-tick-ticking" all day, they must have young now. 13th.
Whimbrel back in the marsh already. 14th. A brood of Goldfinches on
the wing and being fed by the parents. loth. A young Cuckoo being fed by
the usual array of birds. 16th. House-Martins at the Station have found
that by building under the window drip-boards they foil the Sparrows. The
boards are set at about 20 degrees fall. 19th. A large group of Spotted
Flycatchers, eight of them juveniles, feeding and being fed with much excite-
ment. These, probably two broods, are the first young reared here for
several years due probably to our relentless pursuit of local Magpies and
Jays. 20th. Found a third Spotted Flycatchers' nest on the side of a large
elm. Saw House-Martins being pursued by single honey-bees like guided
missiles 1 21st. Swifts plentiful over the farm. Whimbrel in the marsh.
24th. Willow-Warblers in song again. 25th. Greenshank and Whimbrel
calling in the marsh at night. 26th. A brood of Long-tailed Tits on the
wing. 28th. Several Lesser Whitethroats and a family of Bullfinches in
the garden plum trees. 30th. A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker working rotten
elm branches. 30th. Oyster Catchers and Whimbrel calling in the marsh.
Lesser Whitethroats passing steadily south, feeding as they go. 31st. At
Hazeleigh Wood I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker. On the way there I
stopped the car to avoid running over a bird. It was a baby Goldfinch with
its feet firmly stuck in the sun-melted tar. I freed and cleaned it and
returned it near its family in the hedgerow. A pair of Tree-Creepers on the
farm this evening.