THE ESSEX NATURALIST. 
70 
their lives unmolested in considerable luxury on fish, which 
abound in the reservoir. 
It is no uncommon sight in the afternoons and evenings to 
see flocks of stately Herons coming from Epping Forest and 
Wanstead to wade, fish and feed on the shores of the 
reservoirs. I have counted as many as 50 around the King 
George Reservoir majestically wading and fishing for their 
evening meal, notwithstanding the air has sometimes been 
full of aeroplanes, of which they take no notice whatever. 
During the last year or two several pairs have nested on the 
low trees in the islands of the Walthamstow Reservoirs, but, I 
fear, with little success. Although these islands are sanctuaries 
for wild birds and wild fowl, they are infested with Carrion Crows, 
those rapacious unblushing robbers who rob every nest irres¬ 
pective of size and species of nearly every bird inhabiting these 
islands. Although the Heron is a strong and powerful bird, he is 
no match for these cunning daylight robbers, who sit on the ad¬ 
joining trees waiting for the Herons to leave their nest, when they 
pounce, down, break and suck the eggs, and turn the shells out 
of the nest on to the ground. Of all the nests I have visited, 
shells were to be found on the ground. These Carrion Crows 
appear to have acquired a habit during the last few years of 
hunting the rank vegetation on the bank and islands like a dog 
in search of the wild fowl’s eggs, particularly those of the Tufted 
Duck, instead of searching the rubbish heaps in the neighbour¬ 
hood for choice morsels in varying stages of decomposition. 
During the war Kingfishers have increased considerably, 
and for the last two years have nested in the river banks broken 
away by the floods, and it is no uncommon sight to see some 
half a dozen flitting about like Fire Flies, illuminating the air 
with their gorgeous iridescent plumage, all in their natural state 
within a few miles of the City of London. 
There are several species of Wild Fowl inhabiting and breeding 
in the islands and shores of the Reservoirs ; they consist of Wild 
Duck, Teal, Tufted Duck in great numbers, Coots, Moorhens, 
Great Crested Grebes, of which there are many pairs, and Lesser 
Grebes (Dabchicks), besides Peewit and Land Rail, which nest 
on the banks. At other seasons of the year, especially in winter 
and rough weather, the waters are visited by flocks of several 
species of Terns, and occasionally by Dunlins, Redshanks, Oyster 
