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BIRDS OF WEST THURROCK MARSH. 
The Jack-snipe ( Gallinago gallinnla) puts in an appearance 
in hard weather. Its favourite haunts are the ditch running 
parallel to the sea-wall, and that lying east of the lighthouse. 
The Jack-snipe is an inveterate skulker. During an excep¬ 
tionally high tide in the winter 1919-20, I saw two birds driven 
out of the ditch near the lighthouse by the rising water. Ten 
minutes previously I had searched this ditch for Jack-snipe 
but without success. 
Small parties of Golden Plover [Charadrins pluvialis) visit 
the saltings and foreshore during the first two days of snowy 
weather. Prolonged snow drives these (and the following 
species) away, presumably to a more congenial feeding ground. 
I am informed that the Golden Plover was present on December 
13th, 1920. 
The Lapwing (Vanellus vulgaris) commonly arrives in large 
numbers from the inland pastures to the north at dusk, de¬ 
parting before daybreak. An early morning examination of 
the mudbanks (tide permitting), will reveal their footprints in 
thousands. In hard weather when the frost seals the pastures 
for the greater part of twenty-four hours, these birds visit the 
foreshore at all hours of the day. They appear to be most 
plentiful in November and December. 
A most interesting visitor is the Hooded Crow (Corvus 
cornix). It is not common, and I have never seen other than 
individual birds. They do not appear to associate with the 
numerous foraging rooks which come over from the quarry wood 
at Purfleet. 
The Kingfisher is a regular winter visitor to the creek and 
foreshore. The abundance of Gobius minutus probably accounts 
for the bird’s presence. The sluice-gate midway between 
Thurrock church and the lighthouse bears unmistakable traces 
■of being a favourite resting place. 
The Grey Wagtail (Molacilla melanope) sometimes visits the 
creek in winter, but it is more frequently seen in the ditches 
on the land-ward side of the wall. 
The Rock Pipit ( Anthus obscurus) is invariably present in 
the “ rills ” throughout the winter. It has a duskier and more 
bulky appearance than the Meadow Pipit ( A . pratensis), and to 
my mind is a typical bird of the mournful saltings. 
An immature specimen of Phalacrocorax carbo or P. graculas 
1 
