REPORTS OF MEETINGS
April 23rd 1972, South Weald Park. Thirty-four members
and friends attended this meeting in South Weald Park. It
was an overcast, cold day for the end of April, this
however did not seem to have much effect on the amount of
birdsong that was heard, particularly after the lunchtime
break. In the morning a Tree Pipit was very soon located
and all were able to see the bird and hear its distinctive
song. Also during this time, Willow Warblers, Great Tits
and Blue Tits were seen and heard. After lunch the wood-
lands on the North side of this fine Park were visited when
Chiff Chaffs, Wrens and again Willow Warblers were in full
song. A single Goldcrest was watched for quite a time and
also a Black-cap was heard, but proved too elusive for all
to see. Many fine trees were just starting to show their
leaves, the Hornbeams already had their catkins, and the
numerous Oak trees starting to come into flower; some
Golden Saxifrage was pointed out. At the end of the day
36 birds had been seen or heard, more than one bird for each
member who attended I
Mike Parker
April 30th 1972, Warley Place near Brentwood.
General Meeting No.1183. Warley Place Gardens are now
overgrown and derelict, but it was of great interest to the
members who attended this meeting to see so many introduced
species which had survived without attention for nearly
forty years, Stan Jermyn gave a short history of the house
and its gardens, it literary associations with John Evelyn,
the diarist, who lived here from 1649 to 1655, also some
historical facts about one of this country's most famous
lady gardeners, Miss Ellen A. Willmott, 1860 - 1934, who
made these gardens so well known. For further information,
see Essex Naturalist, 1912, 17, 44 and 1966, 31, 370.
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