Nightjar trip report – 9/7/15

The second of the Nightjar trips was possibly even more successful than the first.  8 members met up on the most perfect of evenings, warm and with the gentlest of breezes.  The group were so determined to beat the previous group’s 42 species, that the recorder found himself having to delete entries such as albatross.  This time the highlights of the evening were a distant view of a kingfisher, a linnet, frequent sightings of woodcock, often silhouetted against the setting sun, a single sighting of a barn owl which flew very close and sightings of one or more nightjars.  In comparison to the June visit, there was far less churring (and 2 males only distinguished) but we had 4-5 good sightings of the bird in flight.  Just as we were leaving, the evening was made extra special when a tawny owl flew right over our heads.