in the fork of a large elm."
'Mr. J. H. Hills of Prested Hall, Feering, informs me that a large elm there,
known as 'The Raven-tree' was occupied up to about 1840.'
Mr. Edmund Capper, in a communication to Mr. Seebohm, described the discovery (and
eventual theft of the Raven eggs) of a nest near Earl's Colne.
'It was a splendid day in March, warm for the time of year.... (we) crossed
some fields, and entered the copse in which we understood the Ravens had built
their nest. It was just such a spot as one could have fancied a Raven might have
selected for its home - a large, well-preserved copse, with densely thick under-
growth, together with little patches of open glade in which were a few tall elms
and other trees .... when, all at once, we came to a little clearing in the middle of
the copse, and there, straight before us, on the top of an immense elm, was the
Raven's nest
E. A. Fitch, a former President of the Essex Field Club (also a local farmer and Mayor of
Maldon) collected much information about the Ravens. Fitch deplored the persistent persecu-
tion of Ravens on Northey Island. They were unable to fledge young ones; he also reported on
Ravens at Mundon.
T found this nest, as I thought, on Brick House, Mundon - the same nest from
which Newman had a young one, taken last year. On my second visit, I found the
tree (an elm) cut down, purposely to destroy the young Ravens, but it was found
their nest had not been used this year, so no harm was done except that done to
the tree! This same day I found the nest with the old bird on, in a hedgerow elm
between Iltney and White House farms, Mundon.'
Ravens' nests were also noted near the Devils Step's, Thundersley in some tall hedgerow
elms in 1872-4 and were last recorded in 1880.
References
Christy, M. (1890) The Birds of Essex. Essex Field Club.
Cox, S. (1984) The Birds of Essex. E.B.W.P.S.
Parker, A. (1968) Some Observations on the Little Owl (Athene noctua) and Barn Owl (Tyto alba) at their
Nests Near Romford, Essex, 1968. London Bird Report for 1968. No. 33. 81-87.
Parker. A. (1968) The Decline of the Rook as a Breeding Species at Hainault, Essex. London Bird Report
for 1968. No. 33. 87-95.
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