07/06/2016 East Grinstead RSPB Local Group Visit to Hindleap

Tuesday 7 June 2016
East Grinstead RSPB Local Group
Hindleap, Ashdown Forest

Our annual nightjar walk, this time around Hindleap, attracted a following of 14.  We co-opted Shaun’s dog Joel for the event to appease the superstitious members who didn’t like a group size of 13. 

Thankfully, we avoided the heavy thunderstorms that were around and managed to enjoy ourselves.

• Hindleap is Maureen and Alan’s patch and for the first part of the event they gave us an escorted tour of the area.  Among the species present were jay, linnet, blackbird, song thrush, mistle thrush, stonechat, carrion crow and wren.

• Just after 9 pm, right on cue, we got the first of at least six woodcock sightings.  Each time the bird was seen flying over the tree tops as part of its characteristic roding action.  Shaun was one of the few able to pick up its call.  Patrick wanted to see one flying in an anticlockwise direction; happily we didn’t have to wait too long for this to happen.

• Around 9.20 pm the first nightjar appeared, down at the bottom of the hill where the group were watching from the area around Brian and June’s seat.  Alas, not everyone saw it as it flew up the hill.  It was a male with the white flashes showing well.

• Just as we ascended the hill we heard the churring of another male nightjar ahead of us and soon afterwards we saw him flying along with a female that had joined him.  The views were somewhat distant but they were very clearly nightjars.  After another bout of churring and distant sightings we decided to call time just on 10 pm.

Not the best of views of nightjar this year but considering the bad weather that was around we didn’t do too badly.