Tonight we hosted our first Nightjar walk of the season, which turned out to be a real beauty. Despite the quick drop in temperature at sunset we were treated to a chorus of at least 8 different males, plus a few fly-bys of courting pairs including wing-clapping and numerous contact calls. We even managed to flush one, a male (by accident) from the side of the footpath just as we started our walk at 8pm which allowed us to see the bird, including the bright white spots in broad day light. We also sadly found a whole tail of a male Nightjar on a path which looked as if it had been pulled out by a predator, although the tail was fully in tact which suggests the bird may have got away…but is now just flying around ‘tailless’. Other highlights included a Marsh Harrier out on Arne moors, 1 Hobby over the heath, a decent fledged party of both Linnet and Stonechat, 4 Emperor Moth, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Willow Warbler and a few Dartford Warbler. If you’d like to experience Nightjar in all their glory then our Nightjar walks are every Tuesday through the summer (until end of July), so to book on CLICK HERE.
Other highlights from today included 2 sightings of Osprey, one see flying over the northern Arne shoreline and a second sighting (of possibly the same bird) seen from the Holton Lee side, out across the Wareham Channel. Cuckoo were still calling on Hartland, Slepe Heath, Middlebere and at Morden Bog. A Peregrine took a gull chick from the gull islands and in Middlebere a Marsh Harrier flew past the hide. Bearded Tit seem to be having a good year at Lytchett Bay with family parties already being seen/heard from Lytchett Bay view and at the end of Lytchett Heath Nature Reserve. At Holton Pools 2 sum plum Black-tailed Godwit were feeding in front of the hide, as was an Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret and up to 4 Reed Warbler are nesting around the perimeter of the pools.
Watching and waiting for Nightjar on our Nightjar walk – Slepe Heath
Tail of male Nightjar found on our Nightjar walk – Slepe Heath
Spring seems to be creeping along with more displaying and nest building birds today, including multiple Raven pairs/territories…
Find out moreAlthough you couldn’t see further than 100m for much of the day, there were birds to be found…
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