John Lerpiniere led a walk to listen for Nightingales at the Searles Farm gravel pit complex on the evening of Wednesday 30 April. Meeting time was 19:30, not long before sunset, and the parking location was at the southern end of Pingewood Road North, a dead-end road. It was a warm evening after a hot day. While members assembled, John pointed out the song of a Lesser Whitethroat, with its characteristic dry rattle at the end of the song. Also heard here were Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Blackcap. The group headed northwards along Searle’s Farm Lane, adding Cetti’s Warbler, Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff to the list. The route turned right and followed a path between two lakes. Everything was coated in fluffy Willow seeds – they looked like scum on the surface of the lakes. Looking over the lake to the north, a pair of Gadwall and a Red-crested Pochard were seen. A Grey Heron flew in and perched on top of a lakeside Willow. A little further on, there was a vacant fishing bay with a view to the south. A female Mallard had 3 small ducklings in tow, very close behind her. The path led to a small triangular-shaped lake where a Nightingale was singing loudly. It made a wide range of sounds – repeated whistles, a single note repeated more and more loudly, ‘jug-jug’, and more. The path led to a locked fishermen’s car park, so John turned right and followed a track which ran along the backs of a row of houses. Bats flew past and at least two more Nightingales could be heard. As the light began to fade, the group turned round and retraced their footsteps along the path between two lakes. The sky was dominated by the reds and oranges of a glorious sunset. Bats flew to and fro above the path. As the group walked back past several singing Nightingales, John heard the ‘grunting’ noise of a female Nightingale deep in a bramble thicket next to the lake. A Song Thrush had incorporated a snatch of Nightingale song in its repertoire. It was almost completely dark for the final short stretch of road before returning to the cars.
Here is a recording of nightingales made on the night:
Photos and audio by Rob Stallard