In Search of Nightingale's

This morning Jackie and I were out pretty early with the group to a known site on the Isle of Purbeck in search for Nightingale. We were not sure if we would be lucky as we visited a few day ago and the only migrants we saw or heard were Blackcap and Chiffchaff.  Anyway after gathering together we headed off on what was a very sunny and warming morning and almost immediately Jackie heard a Goldcrest and we located it in a small fir tree singing his little heart out.  Just a few steps further on a Common Whitethroat was heard and sighted and we found three may four individuals in the scrub.  Chiffchaff and Blackcaps were also in good voice with a mix of Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock,  Goldfinch and Wren all vying for songster of the morning.  It was only another twenty metres and I heard a distant 'tup,tup,tup,tup, pu,pu,puuu' from further along the path.  Walking another hundred to a hundred and fifty metres found us being serenaded not by one but two Nightingales superb.  Added to this a Grasshopper Warbler started his "reeling" song.

Snoozing Roe buck © Nick Hull

We listened and searched the bushes for a view as we listened for direction and it was Joe who picked a Nightingale out deep in the middle of a bush and he managed to get a scope onto it for all to see.  We spent quite a while here just listening to these wonderful songsters.  We managed to add Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Skylark a super relaxed buck Roe Deer and a few very young easter bunnies and a couple of very colourful cock Pheasants. Eventually we had to move on and we continued searching for bird, though we always keep and eye open for what other wildlife and be seen and Jess found our first Early Purple Orchids of the year.  Some of the group had two Field Voles, butterflies noted were Green-viened and Small White, Orange-tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood, and a Bloody-nose Beetle crossed the path in front of us all very nice to see.

Early Purple Orchid

Bloody-nose Beetle © Nick Hull

From a vantage point at the top of the hill we could view across the Poole harbour basin and dotted around in the sky were several pairs of Common Buzzards all enjoying the thermals.  I was able to check the Osprey post down in the Middlebere Channel and there was what looked like a bird of prey sitting on it was it could have been an Osprey or just another buzzard the distance was just to great.  Overhead we had a steady trickle of Swallows and a few House Martins.  We did hear a few Yellow Wagtails going over though difficult to see.

Here is a link to our audio/video page with a short recording made by Jackie on her iphone of the Nightingale and Grasshopper Warbler singing this morning.

http://www.twoowlsbirding.co.uk/www.twoowlsbirding.co.uk/Video_Clips.html