33
Farm. (The landrail or corncrake
is now a rare visitor to Essex. A
hundred years ago it was not
uncommon.)
11.11.1935 Stoat swam the Roding near Woolston
Hall.
9.5.1936 Wood warbler at High Beach, heard
from near the church.
28.3.1937 Magpies' nest on Fairmead.
8.5.1938 Two pairs redshank at Chigwell
Sewage Farm.
MARK HANSON
BAT NEWS
1988 has proved to be another good year -For
recording bats in Essex but may have been a
less successful year for the bats themselves.
Cold, wet weather in the spring produced a
protracted breeding season from late May to
mid—July and the wet summer combined with low
insect counts (particularly moths) led to
juveniles being abandoned in some parts of the
county. The net result may well be that
despite good numbers surviving last year's mild
winter, next summer's population will probably
show a decline over this year.
The year started with another record count from
Grays deneholes. In 1985, when pot—holing was