THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 



Nightingale has even been known to breed in Battersea 

 Park, and I can quite believe it, for this charming spot, 

 especially the larger island in the lake, could afford it 

 ample seclusion. The bird seems to be decreasing in 

 some parts of Middlesex, although just beyond our 

 radius in this direction it is still as common possibly as 

 when Milton wrote his immortal sonnet to it in the 

 neighbourhood of Horton and Stoke Poges. One of its 

 most favoured spots in the county is round about Osterley 

 Park; it formerly bred at Golder's Hill. In Surrey it is 

 certainly still a common bird, and its voice may be heard 

 at Dulwich, Wimbledon, Richmond, Balham, Tooting, 

 Clapham, Kew, Norwood, Croydon, and so on. In 

 Kent it is extremely common in many places, one of the 

 most favoured in my experience being St. Mary Cray. 

 In Essex, Epping is a famous resort. It would, however, 

 be impossible to tabulate all the localities which the 

 Nightingale frequents. Broadly speaking, it may be 

 heard locally throughout the Metropolitan area, com- 

 monest, perhaps, in the west and south. The depreda- 

 tions of cats and bird-catchers are potent factors in the 

 reduction of its numbers and in its extermination from 

 many localities. 



The Nightingale reaches the London area about the 

 middle of April, leaving again early in September. Its 

 favourite haunts are small woods and coppices, especially 

 those of a marshy character and where there is plenty of 

 undergrowth ; and though a somewhat secretive bird, it 

 may often be seen flitting across the more open spaces, 

 where its expanded chestnut tail gleams in the light and 

 affords a ready means of identification. The characteristic 

 song of the male soon proclaims the bird's return, and may 

 be heard with almost as much frequency in the day-time 

 as at night, especially during May. Shortly after arrival 

 many individuals assemble in certain familiar spots, but 

 in a few days a gradual dispersal takes place as all the old 



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