Bygone birding: Dartford Warblers were formerly to be found on the commons of South London

 

Below is an extract from John Cotton's note on the distribution of the Dartford Warbler in his 1835 volume, The Resident Song Birds of Great Britain:

This is one of the least known among the British warblers. 

It is rather larger than the common Wren but much longer by reason of its tail which is one half its length nearly. 

It is called the Dartford Warbler from having been first discovered in England near that place.

Mr. Sweet says it is  "one of the rarest of the British species of this tribe", but mentioned by Montagu as not uncommon about Kingsbridge, Devon, and in the neighbourhood of Truro in Cornwall.

It is also occasionally met with on Bexley Heath, near Dartford, Kent; also on Blackheath and on Wandsworth and Wimbledon Commons where it is said to breed in the furze-bushes.

It feeds on grasshoppers, moths, butterflies, caterpillars, ants and various other insects.

The habits of this bird are very little known.

Dr. Latham informs us several were shot, in the winter of 1783, on a common near Wandsworth in Surrey from which circumstance that author very justly observes that if it is found here only as a winter migrant

In the month of September, 1796 (says Montagu) we observed many of these birds about Falmouth in Cornwall, frequenting the furzy hills

He recalled: "We killed several from that time to  December 24 when a sudden fall of snow covered the ground for some time, driving them from that area."

It has been found, however, to breed in this country, Montagu having discovered a nest on July 17  on a large furze common. 

It was placed among the dead branches of the thickest furze, about two feet from the ground, slightly fastened between the main stems, not in the fork.

The nest is composed of dry vegetable stalks, particularly goose-grass, mixed with the tender dead branches of furze, not sufficiently hardened to be come prickly.

These are put together in a very loose manner and intermixed very sparingly with wool. 

This thin flimsy structure much resembles the nest of the Whitethroat. 

The eggs are also somewhat similar to those of the Whitethroat, but rather less, weighing only twenty-two grammes.

Like the eggs of that species, they possess a slight tinge of green and are fully speckled all over with olivaceous brown and cinerous on a greenish whiteground.   

                                     

 Wimbledon Common - former home to Dartford Warblers (photo: Doyle of London/ Wikimedia)

            

Female Dartford Warbler (photo: Vcebollada/ Wikimedia)