182 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
them there in the winter. They probably come across the Thames from the
Heronry in Earl Darnley's Park at Cobham.
The Dictionary of the Thames says: " About Barking or Rainham these birds
may be met with at all times of the day in the marshes adjoining the river,
as well as in the creeks and on the mud-flats around Canvey Island."
By far the largest and most important Heronry in the county is that at
Birch, the property of Mr. James Round, M.P., who informs me that he be-
lieves it was originally started by a pair that came from Brightlingsea when
the Magens estate was sold, some twenty-five years ago. I visited it on April
16th, 1888, a charming, summer-like day, in company with Mr. E. A. Fitch,
from whose description of our visit (50. ii. 171) I cull the following passages :—
" The Birch Heronry is in the middle of an oak wood of about eighteen
acres, known a; Calve's Pasture. There was little or nothing to indicate the
presence of the Herons until we got well under the trees they occupied ; then
we saw them sitting upon their nests, and on the tops of the trees, or flying
leisurely around in all directions. The birds appeared to be particularly tame, and
were in no wise disconcerted at our presence ; several were still building, and
there were certainly no young, nor, possibly, any sitting birds. We counted 125
nests, and Mr. Henry Stephenson, the head-keeper, told us that he expected at
least forty more would be built ; he had seen over 300 birds about this year. All
the nests were on oaks, and the largest number on one tree was eight. The
usual flat platform of small branches and twigs was here lined with nettle-straw,
not dock, as at Boreham. It was quite astonishing to see what comparatively
large branches the Herons had broken off for building purposes. Mr. Stephen-
son was able to give us a complete history of this now-extensive Heronry, as it
was he who found the first nest in Chest Wood, Layer-de-la-Haye, in 1861, on
one of the tallest oaks, said to be nearly thirty feet to the first branch. The next
year (1862) there were three nests, and they increased in numbers steadily every
year, until 1877, when there were about 100 nests in their first-chosen spot, Chest
Wood. In February, 1878, the Herons came as usual to roost there, preparatory
to nesting ; but, shortly afterwards, a pair of Peregrine Falcons appeared, and
caused great alarm among the Herons. One day, when on his rounds, Stephenson
watched a Heron high overhead apparently trying to outsoar a Peregrine, until both
were lost to sight, but shortly afterwards Heron and Peregrine fell to the ground
almost at his feet. The Peregrines were not shot, but the effect of their presence
was that the Herons entirely forsook Chest Wood for nesting purposes, and
came to their present abode in Calve's Pasture. That same year (1878), they
built about 100 nests in the latter wood, and the colony has now increased to
nearly 200. No nest has been seen in Chest Wood since 1877, until last year,
when a solitary one was observed. The birds are strictly preserved in every
way and especially from the Rooks, which are prevented from roosting in the
wood as far as possible, being looked upon by the keeper as very destructive to
Heron's eggs, and he especially complained of their depredations among the
early nests of this present year, during the severe weather of March."
Next on our list of Essex Heronries, in size and importance, stands that
at Wanstead, which of the 300 or more now existing in Great Britain, is,
I believe, the nearest of all to London, being only about seven miles distant from
St. Paul's. As long ago as 1834, it was described (13, ii. 195) as "of long estab-
lishment and very populous "—a character which it still maintains, and is likely
long to maintain, as Wanstead Park now forms part of Epping Forest, and is
under the control of the Corporation of London, acting as Conservators of the
Forest. Mr. Fitch says (50. ii. 178) :
" Formerly the birds built on an island in the upper pond in the park, which
consequently acquired the name of Heron Pond [by which it is still known] ;
but they now frequent Lincoln Island, and during the nesting season special
precautions are taken by the Conservators to prevent their being disturbed."