234 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



' It is still in Mr. Beresford's possession (38. 132). Although Hack- 

 ney Marshes are on the Middlesex side of the Lea, from the locality 

 in which it was obtained this might fairl}' be considered an Essex 

 bird.] 



Family CHARADRIID^. 



•*-:f5--.-^''> 





GOLDEN PLOVER, in -winter, %. 

 (After Bnvick). 



Golden Plover : Charadrius pluvialis. Locally, " Grey 



Plover." 



A resident, breeding commonly on many high moorland wastes in 



the north and west of England, and in Scotland and Ireland, but only a 



winter visitor to Essex. 

 After severe easterly gales, 

 and during hard weather, 

 many large flocks appear 

 in the inland parts of the 

 county, frequenting arable 

 fields, and low swampy 

 meadows, often in com- 

 pany with the Lapwing. 

 They frequently remain 

 until quitelate. Isawalarge 

 flock here on Apr. ist, 

 1880. On Mar. 13th, 



1881, many in a flock I was very close to were assuming the black 



breast, and two, in almost full breeding plumage, were shot near here 



by a gamekeeper on Apr. loth, 1878. 



Mr. Clarke notes (24) that " rarely a small flock " occurs at Walden. 

 Lindsey wrote in 185 1 that it then occurred " in great abundance during the 

 autumn " at Harwich (27. App. 54), where it is still common in winter (Kerry). 

 Both Mr. Grubb (39) and King (20) say that flocks occasionally frequent the large 

 open fields around Sudbury in the winter. On and about May gth, 1873, doubt- 

 less when on migration, many were killed by flying against the telegraph wires 

 which cross Wanstead Flats (29. May 17). 



Grey Plover : Sq^tatarola helvetica. 



A fairly-common visitor to our coast from autumn to spring, sel- 

 dom occurring inland, and never in large flocks. 



Mr. Hope observes that it generall}' arrives in Essex a little earlier than the 

 Golden Plover, and in 1880, Major Russell (42) observed several flocks on the 

 Essex coast on Aug. 14th, when all had black breasts. Mr. Bond found it (23. 

 39) common round Southend at the end of Aug., 1842. Mr. Buxton saj^s (47. 

 94) it " has been found by the Roding in late autumn. * * * Its occurrence in 

 the Forest is remarkable. One procured [at Epping] by the late Mr. Doubleda}',, 



