A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



125. Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris, Leach. 

 Locally, Puttock. 



Formerly a common resident, breeding in 

 all parts of the county. In the Epping dis- 

 trict it was practically exterminated by the 

 year 1830, but at that time it still bred in 

 the extensive woodlands in Rochfbrd Hundred 

 and elsewhere. Fields in many parts of the 

 county still known as ' Puttock's Lees ' 

 attest its former prevalence. Now it is no 

 more than a casual visitor, usually seen when 

 passing on migration. 



126. Rough-legged Buzzard. Buteo lagopus 

 (Gmelin). 



An uncommon and irregular visitor, chiefly 

 during autumn and winter. 



127. Spotted Eagle. Aqulla maculata (Gme- 

 lin). 



A very rare straggler to Britain. One was 

 captured alive in a very exhausted state at 

 Elmsteadon October 29, 1891 (see Zool. 1891, 

 p. 470 and Essex Nat. v. 2 1 8), and another, 

 also much exhausted, was shot five days later, 

 on November 3, at Leigh (see Essex Nat. \. 

 2 1 8, and Zool. 1892, p. 76). An eagle which 

 was seen about Bardfield, Lindsell and 

 Thaxted throughout the month of December 

 following was probably of the same species. 

 At least one other individual was shot and 

 another seen about the same time in Suffolk, 

 showing that the eastern counties must have 

 been visited by something like a small flock 

 of these birds blown out of their way 

 probably by a severe gale which occurred just 

 before they were seen. 



128. Golden Eagle. Aqulla chrysa'etus (Linn.). 

 An occasional winter visitor. 



129. White-tailed Eagle. Haliaetus albidlla 

 (Linn.). 



A winter visitor, seen not very uncom- 

 monly on the coast, especially during severe 

 weather. 



130. Goshawk. Astur palumbarius (Linn.). 

 A rare straggler which has been reported 



once or twice as occurring in the county, but 

 under somewhat doubtful circumstances (see 

 Birds of Essex, p. 168). 



131. Sparrow- Hawk. Accipiter nisus (Linn.). 

 A resident and still fairly common, though 



steadily decreasing through constant persecu- 

 tion. 



132. Kite. Milvus ictinus, Savigny. 

 Locally, Crotch-tailed Puttock. 



Formerly a common resident. It bred in 

 the county in some numbers up to about the 



year 1830, and has done so occasionally since 

 then. A pair is said to have nested at Mer- 

 sea about 1845, and I have seen a fine male 

 said to have been shot at Sampford about 

 1870 in the middle of summer (see Birds of 

 Essex, p. 170). As no Essex specimen has 

 been reported for many years it may be re- 

 garded as extinct in the county, though its 

 occurrence as a casual visitor would not be 

 surprising. 



133. Honey-Buzzard. Perms apivorus(L,inn.). 

 Formerly a not uncommon summer visitor. 



There is no record of its having bred in the 

 county for many years, but it has not improb- 

 ably done so, as individuals have occurred 

 from time to time in the height of sum- 

 mer. Now however it is with us not more 

 than a passing migrant, usually seen during 

 September when passing southward. 



134. Gyr-Falcon. Fa lea gyrfalco (Linn.). 



A rare winter visitor. A falcon shot 

 beside the lake in Hatfield Forest about nine 

 years ago by the late forest ranger is, I believe, 

 a male of this species (or race), and leading 

 authorities who have examined it have held 

 the same view, though others have pronounced 

 it a large female peregrine. It is exceedingly 

 dark in colour, the back being almost black 

 and the breast darkly striped. Another gyr- 

 falcon, shot near Coggeshall in 1855, but no 

 longer in existence, may have belonged also 

 to this or the nearly allied species (or race) 

 known as the Greenland gyr-falcon {Falco 

 candicans). 



135. Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus, 

 Tunstall. 



Formerly no doubt resident in small num- 

 bers, and a pair is said to have nested in a 

 tree at Sampford in the summer of 1843 

 (see Birds of Essex, p. 173). Now however 

 it is only a winter visitor, though un- 

 doubtedly commoner than is usually supposed. 



136. Hobby. Falco subbuteo, Linn. 



Once a fairly common summer visitor, 

 breeding regularly in the county. It nested 

 at Felstead in 1877, near Belhus Park in 

 1879, at Great Waltham about 1885, and 

 near Bishops Stortford in 1887. Doubtless it 

 has done so since, but no instance has come 

 under my notice. Individuals still occur 

 however from time to time. 



137. Merlin. Falco <ssalon, Tunstall. 



Now no more than an uncommon autumnal 

 or winter visitor ; but it is said to have bred 

 formerly on the marshes near the coast in 

 Rochford Hundred (see Birds of Essex, p. 176). 



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