BIRDS AT NORTH FAMBRIDGE IN 1958 191
the cows' feet all day. 13th. A Spotted Flycatcher catching flies after
dusk. It was so dark that I could only see it against the western sky.
14th. Swallows and House-Martins massing daily. 15th. Numerous
Turtle-Doves in groups of five or six between Wickford and Fam-
bridge. 17th. Saw a Wheatear standing on a post by the river, it then
flew south across the water. 19th. No Swifts seen now. Greenshank
calling on the marsh, About 100 Redshank in one flight dived in play
and then settled on the old sea-wall. 20th. Chiffchaff singing in the
garden. 22nd. Several Greenshank in the marsh and flying over the
fields. A Barn-Owl "schrumped" as it flew round the farm tonight.
23rd. Chiffchaff singing. About a score of Yellow Wagtails around
the cows' feet—one adult male as yellow as a canary. I counted 30
Long-tailed Tits working the willows. Swallows and House-Martins
building up into large flights again. 24th. Warblers in large numbers.
Three groups of Goldfinches. Myriads of flying insects make the farm
a paradise for the migrating birds. A lone Swift this evening. 25th. A
family of Common Whitethroats appeared today. Unlike the Lesser
Whitethroat this species is not often seen here. 26th. A strange warbler
in a plum tree; broad yellow stripe over eye, dark stripe through eye,
light underparts, light brown back, dark brown stripes on wings and
back. Quite tame and unidentified! 27th. Lesser Whitethroats but no
Willow-Warblers today. Swallows and House-Martins in large groups
making mock migration moves. Whimbrel calling all day. A large flight
of Curlew pass down the river each evening. 28th. No Warblers during
the day but a fresh bunch arrived after tea. Four Swifts in a large
flight of Martins this evening. Thirteen Goldfinches in one group. 29th.
About 100 Common Gulls hawking flies over the farm for a long time.
30th. The wettest August since 1883. A few Yellow Wagtails but no
Warblers. 31st. Plenty of Spotted Flycatchers, a Kingfisher and a Red-
start in the thicket. Many hundreds of Swallows and House-Martins
overhead at dusk.
September 2nd. A single Swift and Swallows tonight. 4th. A flight of
at least 400 Curlew settled on Stow Creek saltings. 6th. My Stockman
brought me a dead Wryneck apparently killed by a car at Mundon. 7th.
Saw the first Pied Flycatcher of the autumn and watched it catching
flies on the cinders, it spent a lot of time on the ground. It was an adult
male. 8th. A female Pied Flycatcher and two juveniles on the cinder
track. 9th. The pair and two young all day on the track. At 6.15 p.m.
my son and I watched a male Golden Oriole sitting on the H.T. wires.
This is the second male of this species which I have seen in this
country. 12th. Two Wheatears on Hollington's Marsh. 10th to 30th.
During this period Willow-Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Spotted Flycatchers,
Yellow Wagtails and Wheatears were seen frequently. On the 10th, 13th
and 17th, a Pied Flycatcher was seen. 13th. A cock Redstart. 25th. One
Whitethroat. 30th. About 100 Swallows and House-Martins feeding
behind the shelter of our tall elms.
October 1st. Three Chiffchaffs in song together. Swallows and House-
Martins were numerous from time to time until 18th, after which only
small numbers were seen. A Chiffchaff was seen on the 2nd, 5th and