THE GARDEN WARBLER 



STLFIA HORTENSIS 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : A somewhat local and 

 capricious summer visitor, but very generally distributed ; 

 rarest in trie south-west of England, in Wales, parts of 

 Scotland, and in Ireland. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN^ FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : The Garden Warbler is a fairly common summer 

 visitor to suitable places in the Metropolitan area, but its 

 skulking habits cause it very frequently to be overlooked. 

 It is very possible that this Warbler breeds locally within 

 the five-mile radius, in which it is a tolerably frequent 

 visitor to many gardens and some of the parks during 

 spring and autumn migration. It is said to breed at 

 Dulwich and Ranelagh. Beyond this boundary it be- 

 comes, of course, a more regular visitor, and it may be 

 traced through most suitable neighbourhoods from Wim- 

 bledon and Richmond, Twickenham, Kew, Osterley, 

 Hanwell, Wembley, Willesden, Barnet, Waltham, 

 Beckenham, Norwood, Mitcham, Merton, and Kingston. 

 In the remoter suburbs I have evidence of its regular 

 occurrence in the districts of Croydon, the Kentish Grays, 

 Banstead, Cheam, Epsom, Bushey, Teddington, Houns- 

 low, Southall, Harrow, Waltham, Epping, Wanstead, 

 and Rainham. These localities are only indicative of the 

 general distribution of the species ; it occurs in a great 

 many others, no doubt, but sufficient has been said to 

 trace its distribution within the fifteen-mile limit. 



Considering the number of large gardens, nurseries, 

 orchards, and shrubberies in the suburbs of London, the 

 wonder is that the Garden Warbler is so local and com- 

 paratively scarce. It is more than possible that the bird, 

 owing to its secretive, unobtrusive habits, escapes notice 



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