Fabulous Nightjars!

Thursday 8th July 2021

Goat CP,  Ashdown Forest, Sussex

9 pm to 10 pm

Martin and I were invited to Alastair C's patch on the Ashdown Forest for another Nightjar session.  On the recent Nightjar survey he had spectacular views and we were hoping for a repeat performance tonight.  .

We met up at the Goat car park, just a stones throw from our favoured site at Hindleap.  We set off NW through a wooded area, towards Legsheath Farm and after 10 minutes or so we reached a clearing where we just stopped and waited......

• A mere 7 minutes after sunset we got our reward - a fabulous male flying low over the land and just a few metres away from us.  It continued to display with obvious white wing-flashes and tail corners.  We had no warning of its presence - no churring - but after a while we could hear the characteristic "coo-ick" as it flew by us. It went through the full repertoire before heading for the tall trees away to our left.
• It wasn't long before we got our second view - this time a female.
• Every 3-4 minutes we got further sightings - all good close encounters - and again no churring.
• Alastair spotted the bird in a nearby tree perched on a branch half way up the trunk but the best view came later when we saw it at the very top of the tallest trees on the edge of the clearing - a fabulous silhouette against the night sky! 

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

Half and hour of sheer delight - right up there with the best views from Hindleap and the Old Airstrip!