Corfe Castle

This morning we were up reasonably early to lead our very enthusiastic group on our walk for migrants last year this walk produced Grasshopper Warbler and Nightingale so our hopes were up. We started almost immediately with Chiffchaff in the car park and as walked out unto the footpath Goldcrest was heard singing along with Dunnock, Blackcap, Robin and Whitethroat. Further on a male Yellowhammer showed well and a single Shelduck flew over heading towards Poole Harbour.

The group intently looking for Nightingale

As we continued on those at the rear of the group heard Raven cronking and Skylark were in good song further up on the down. Greenfinch and Chaffinch were singing along with Blackcaps and Whitethroats and as we listened to all these bird sound trying to pick out if their was anything a little more usual mixed in I picked up the distinctive "peu-peu-peu-tup-tup-tup-tup" of a Nightingale. I gathered the group and we stoop in a line and listened to this superb songster.

Singing Nightingale © Nick Hull

We eventually continued but we hadn't gone far when we heard a second bird but he didn't seem to be so much in the mood to sing for prolonged period so we walked on.  On the side of the path Fran noticed a couple of orchids on closer view they were Green-winged Orchid our first of the year. 

Green-winged Orchid © Nick Hull

The rest of the walk was fairly uneventful though we did record a pair of Bullfinch, Swallows moving through and four Stock Dove also move over north. As we retraced our steps we again stopped and listened to the Nightingales this time stood in the right place it was like stereo and we also had some quite prolonged views with one singing out in the open, an excellent end to a mornings walk.