BIRDS OF NORTH-EAST LONDON 
73 
common gull and the herring gull are casuall}^ visible in cold 
weather. A small flock of fourteen black-headed gulls came in 
the month of August, 1894 — unusual circumstance at such 
a period of the year. At migration times, under cover of the 
darkness of the night, countless numbers of birds pass over, 
allured by the lights of London and the gleam of the water. 
Their presence then is only betrayed by a faint cry at intervals 
from out of the obscurity. The nightingale has been heard 
again this spring (1899) shrubberies around the reservoirs, 
after a silence of over ten years. 
From the high ground at the rear of Stamford Hill a 
glorious panorama opens out. Abruptly descending lies the 
Lea Valley with the enormous reservoirs of the East London 
Water Company and a confusing network of streams. On the 
distant horizon Epping Forest stands out boldly. Surveyed 
from this bird’s-eye point of view, the appearance from time to 
time of so many rare avian visitors is easily understood. By 
the reservoirs the mallard breeds e\'ery year, and during the 
past winter woodcock and snipe have been repeatedly put up. 
The common tern, kittiwake and oyster-catcher are seen at 
times, and the lapwing and even the golden plover are by no 
means uncommon. The reed warbler is observed nearly every 
summer, and incidentally the ring-ouzel. In autumn the siskin 
and lesser redpoll arrive, and are followed by the golden-crested 
wren. A shore-lark, an exceptional visitor, was caught here 
in October, 1881. Another specimen was taken at Hackney 
Marsh in March, 1865. 
Following the course of the river downw'ards, after passing 
Lea Bridge and the East London Waterworks — which far exceed 
in magnitude those of the New River Company at Stoke New- 
ington — is Hackney Marsh, consisting of 337 acres, opened for the 
public benefit by the London County Council in 1894. Primarily 
it is now used for cricket and football. Certain improvements 
have been effected, including the drainage of the land, the filling 
up of ditches, and the levelling of the surface. In a general 
way this is doubtless an advantage, although hardly so in an 
ornithic sense. Formerly, whilst parts were practically im- 
passable in even ordinary wet weather, floods were not excep- 
tional. Thus the water birds were encouraged. The widgeon, 
teal, pochard, shoveler, pintail and golden-eye have all been 
taken here, as well as the common scoter. The partridge used 
to breed on the Marsh, and the red-legged partridge and the 
pheasant were often seen. A wood sandpiper was shot in 
August, 1885, and a stone-curlew in December, 1889. Five 
goosanders flew over in November, 1892, and all were killed. 
In recent years the corn bunting, snow bunting, reed bunting, 
brambling, whinchat, marsh titmouse, puffin, golden oriole, 
dipper, magpie, quail, green sandpiper and the red-backed 
shrike have been noted ; and not far away the hawfinch and 
the lesser spotted and green woodpeckers. To this list may be 
