Nightjars

As Spring gives way to Summer join me to experience the magic of Nightjars and their crepuscular world amidst the stark beauty of the timeless hills.

Recently arrived in Britain from its long journey across the Sahara and through Southern Europe, the Nightjar emerges from its daytime slumber to hunt for moths and other insects in the twilight. There’s nothing quite the heathland at dusk as the weird mechanical electricity of the Nightjar’s song cranks up to signal its impending appearance on the skyline. We’ll witness the famous wing clapping, ‘butterfly flight’ and the odd frog-like whistle as the Nightjar glides above the heather, and over our heads, from its territorial song perch in a stately pine.

My Nightjar walks witness the breeding behaviours of these birds through June and July in their strongholds of the Surrey Heaths and Hills before the birds head back to their wintering grounds in the grasslands of the Congo. We’ll also learn about the history of the heathland habitat, its origins, characteristics and management, and experience other ‘heathland birds’ such as Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Tree Pipit, Woodlark and Hobby as well as regular sightings of Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Woodcock, Tawny Owl and Cuckoo.

Heathlands also harbour as host of specialist species and we’ll be on the lookout for flowering Ling and Bell Heather, Silver-studded blue and Grayling butterflies, Heath tiger beetle, Sand Lizard and the elusive Smooth snake.

Nightjar image from Wikimedia