14/07 Nightjar Ringing

We went nightjar ringing last night (14/07). Weather conditions were relatively calm with a slight breeze around dusk. We arrived at Sandleford Heath sometime before 21:00 hrs. We set up two 12metre nets, one each side of the track; locations approximately as last year. It stayed light later than expected. We put the audios on first around 21:20 with no response at all; must have been to early. Woodcock were not very active this time either with just the odd distant call. We turned off the audio and waited for the light to fade somewhat. While waiting we had a visit from a Barn Owl that quartered the heath before disappearing into the night. This is the first I have ever seen on the common in well over 50 years as far as I can recall. We were also buzzed by two or three bats, not sure of the species but bigger than pipistrelle. It was nice to seen the odd cockchafer in flight, once they were so common, when I was a child, that they clogged the car windscreen and we had to stop to clear the bodies when the wipers could not cope.  Around 21:40 with the brightness of the clear sky holding off the darkness we turned on the audio. It is amazing how much clearer the audio is just before dark; must be something to do with different atmospherics. After a few minutes a Nightjar responded quite a little way off  North East of the heath towards the bunkers. Quite soon one came from a similar direction and began to buzz the area where the nets were. For a while it perched along a branch of a nearby birch tree, churring and giving good views mostly in silhouette before flying off jinking over the net. As the darkness closed in the activity fell away so at about 22:10 we took the nets down. Maybe next year.

Thanks to John, Ian, Gina and Simon for their help.