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| Nightingale |
I’ve been monitoring our local Nightingales over the past couple of weeks and, in common with most migrants this year, they seem a little late in. The extended period of northerly winds in the middle of April seems to have put migrant arrivals back by around 2 weeks compared to recent years. On Monday this week I had the first singing male Nightingale and early on Thursday morning there were at least four singing males serenading me at dawn.
We are most fortunate to have Nightingales very local to us as there has been an enormous decline in their UK population in the past 20 years, so much so that there are now estimated to be just 3,000 pairs left in the country. Fortunately, they are doing better in southern Europe where there are an estimated 5 million pairs. The local estate owners have actively managed the habitat for the Nightingales providing the dense low forest cover that they craze – bravo to them – what a shame there aren’t more like them! Nightingales are slightly larger than robins, with a robust, broad-tailed, and rather plain brown appearance. They are very secretive by nature liking nothing better than hiding in the middle of an impenetrable bush or thicket from which they sing their famous song consisting of a fast succession of high, low, and rich notes that few other species can match. Strangely, they are said to be much less sulking and more easy to see in southern Europe, the reverse of our confiding Robin which is said to be a nervous and sulking bird in the German forest!
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| A more normal view of a Nightingale! |
I spent most of a very pleasant morning walking through the woods listening to, and even getting the occasional glimpse of, the Nightingales before heading off to the Wyre Forest.
I parked in the small car park at the end of Dry Mill Lane and walked the mile or so down the well made up road into the heart of the forest. There is an area of woodland here populated with many nest boxes, mainly for the benefit of the migrant Pied Flycatchers. The early afternoon is probably the worst time to be out birding being just after the so called lunch time lull in bird activity. None the less I did see a female Pied Flycatcher in the area but there seemed to be little or no activity in and around the nest boxes. In a couple of weeks, however, the Flycatchers will undoubtable be busy producing the next generation of these wonderful charismatic birds. I carried on down the path towards one of the old mill buildings and then walked along the small fast moving stream where Dippers can often be seen. A male and female were in the stream with beaks absolutely full of rich insect pickings. I quickly rattled off a few pics and then left them to it as I’m sure they had an early brood somewhere and I did not want to disturb them. Some way further along the stream another Dipper was snoozing on one leg on a large stone. I’ve read that birds do this to preserve heat by tucking one leg into their body. As I looked at the sleeping dipper I caught a flash of black and white out of the corner of my eye. A stunning male Pied Flycatcher had landed by the stream edge and was having a drink. It then flew up onto a small branch right in front of me and for a magical 5 minutes or so just sat there looking straight at me. He eventual flew off intent no doubt on more important manners and I walked on to a forest area good for Wood Warblers. I sat on a fallen trunk and listened for their distinctive spinning penny song but it would seem that they too have not arrived yet.
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| Dipper |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
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| In Wales last year |
I walked slowly back to the car accompanied by the feelgood feeling that always comes to me when I spend a peaceful day in our glorious spring countryside.
Footnote – my blogs are posted with sometimes rather imaginative spelling and grammar due to my extreme dyslexia!
Excellent photos as always
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