94
good voice, was heard between the Old and New Epping
Roads. At the bottom of Hill Wood a Nuthatch was seen
working on an oak, while another was calling some distance
away. Martins were flying over the reservoir at High Beach
Eight Jays were identified.
May 6th.—Several Swifts were flying over Chingford Plain. A very
accessible nest of the Starling, with four eggs, was found
at High Beach. The high beeches here shelter a strong
colony of this interesting species. Old Woodpecker holes,
which are fairly numerous, are used as nesting sites. One
wonders if the Woodpeckers will hold their own. Here a
Starling was heard successfully imitating the notes of the
Nuthatch and Jay. A male Linnet was conspicuous on the
gorse at High Beach and sang well for some time.
May 7th.—Swallows and Martins were flying near the Royal Forest
Hotel. Two Turtle Doves were seen at Theydon Bois, this
species is far from common in Epping Forest. The Night-
jar was reeling at Long Running.
May 28th.—A male and female Red-backed Shrike were identified on
Almshouse Plain, a bird all too little seen in the Forest.
Blackcap and Garden-Warbler song was frequently heard
between Chingford and High Beach. Two Jays were
identified.
June 4th,—Almshouse Plain, heard Turtle Dove. Several Nightingales
singing, Wood-Pigeon's nest, 2 eggs, birds sitting closely,
also several Blackcaps and Garden-Warblers singing. At
Cuckoo Pits saw male Redstart. In wood, just off Chingford
Plain, great numbers of Starlings, apparently flocking.
Would they be birds of the year ?
June 10th.—One Wood-Warbler at Oak Hill. This bird, which was
observed closely for three hours, sang almost incessantly,
and was not noticed to descend to the ground once. The
first portion of the sibilant song was the only part of either
song which was delivered on the wing. The Nightjar was
heard reeling strongly at 3.5 p.m. at Long Running.
June 11th.—Nest of Garden-Warbler, on south edge of Round Thicket;
the fully fledged young got out of nest. At Cuckoo Pits, two
young Redstarts with parent birds in attendance. Large
number of Starlings still about.
June 13th.—A Great Spotted Woodpecker nested near Chingford.
This shy bird had chosen, for a nesting site, an old pollard
oak situated in what is probably one of the most frequented
parts of the Forest. A good view of one of the parents,
which were extremely noisy when the nest was approached,
was obtained. Three days later the hole was empty, the
young having evidently got off safely.
A pair of Jays, which showed in unmistakable manner
their objection to the proximity of the recorder to their two
newly fledged young, uttered a note so similar to the " kee-
wick" of the Tawny Owl that the observer had to use his
1916