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FIELD NOTES ON THE MARSH-WARBLER 
BY 
LIEUT. D. H. MEARES. 
In a few favoured counties in the West of England, the 
Marsh- Warbler, which until comparatively recent times has 
always been considered a rare summer migrant, is now known 
to be a fairly abundant species, and it may be frequently 
and almost commonly observed in many localities, often 
widely separated, which afford it congenial surroundings. 
There is no doubt that it is extending its range yearly in a 
northerly and easterly direction over the country, and fresh 
records for new counties are continually forthcoming. 
The Marsh-Warbler is one of the latest of our visitors to 
reach its summer haunts, and is seldom heard before the middle 
of May. 
The localities which it seems to prefer are low-lying osier- 
beds in the vicinity of streams and canals, and damp waste 
places in the beds of rivers, or alluvial ground which is thickly 
covered with a rank and luxuriant growth of tall weeds. 
The old workings of gravel or clay pits, and brickyards and 
sewage farms where beds of nettles flourish and where docks, 
cow-parsley, figwort, meadow-sweet and tall grasses and 
sapling trees form a dense undergrowth are also favourite 
spots. In such places several pairs of birds may be found 
in close proximity, and two or three cocks are sometimes 
heard singing at the same time. 
Unlike most of our rarer birds, the Marsh-Warbler is often 
found in the vicinity of populous places, and close to cottages, 
tramways, railway sidings and playgrounds, and more than 
once we have seen the hen-bird sitting unconcernedly on her 
eggs within five yards of a public footpath used by many 
hundreds of persons every day. 
The Marsh-Warbler dislikes a tangled growth of vegetation, 
and is seldom found where brambles and briars flourish, nor 
does it as a rule frequent reeds and rushes. Though it likes 
moist ground, it avoids bogs and peaty places, and, unlike 
the Reed-Warbler, it never frequents vegetation growing 
up over water. Though it seems to avoid trees and tall 
hedges, we have seen it nesting in the rank weeds in neglected 
corners of fields and in the nettle beds surrounding rubbish 
heaps and refuse dumps. Usually the places it frequents 
are on the level of the stream or canal that runs through 
them, or actually below the level of the surroundings. 
