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The very thought of watching ‘soaps’ on the television this evening put me off big time and so I thought a pay a visit for my monthly year tick of Nightjar. I wonder how this species is doing considering all the rainfall we have had last month (the most rain ever recorded in June). Today wasn’t much better either with the odd thunderstorm and showers on and off, though it got drier as the evening wore on.
I arrived at West Walk around 8.45pm and promptly waited by the car for the light to diminish. Bored by there with nothing much happening, I crossed the road and waited by the inclosure. A Green Woodpecker was heard calling within the nearby woodland and then it flew across the inclosure, the sound of its wings clearly heard in the still air.
Around 9.10pm, I heard the first Nightjar call somewhat 200 yds away from me though not visible. It only lasted around five seconds and it took around forty minutes for it to start calling again. But this time it did show, the male bird with its white flashes on the wings and tail feathers clearly being seen as it ‘clapped’ across the inclosure enticing the female to show. She eventually did but not before a Woodcock flew overhead and headed in my general direction until seeing me then returned from whence it came! I’m not that grotty, surely? The pair of Nightjars then chased each other for a while then the male bird perched high up on the tallest tree of the inclosure and began churring. A couple of Tawny Owls were heard calling deep within the woodland but none ventured out. So, the evening ended with three month ticks and a very happy birder.
