An evening on the Suffolk heaths

[rlchew]

I must be a glutton for punishment.

Having just returned from 2 weeks in the Scottish Highlands and returning home with a huge number of midge bites, I decided it was appropriate yesterday evening to expose myself to more biting insects for the benefit of seeing Nightjars at Westleton Heath in Suffolk.

I started off with a lesiurely walk of an hour or so across Dunwich Heath and was rewarded with the following:

Dartford Warbler - 2 males and 1 female and many others calling

Woodlark - 1 pair

Hobby - 4 different birds hunting insects on the wing

Stonechat - 2 males and 1 female

Marsh Harrier - a distant view of a female heading towards the Minsmere reedbeds

I was particularly pleased to see the Dartford Warblers. In previous years I have traveled down to Arne Heath in Dorset or Chobham Common in Surrey to see what were previosuly quite rare birds but it now appears that they are doing very well in Suffolk .... Dartford warblers reach one hundred pairs in Suffolk

Following my walk around Dunwich Heath, I drove the short distance to Westleton Heath, parked up and watched a lovely sunset plus Venus emerging in the gathering gloom. I then walked out on the heath and waited for Nightjars.

At 9.30 a.m. whilst still relatively light, the first churring started. As it got darker, a few others started churring and I also heard the distinctive "goo-ick" call and wind-clapping. However, despite all this, I actually failed on this visit to see a single bird.

Nonetheless, the visit to Westleton Heath did have its compensation. You know those occasions when you half hear something, you think "was that a .....?" but then you decide you were not sure? Well, that happened to me but then it called again .... it was a Quail! I have never heard a Quail let alone seen one but those of you that are aware of the call will agree that it is a distinctive "wet my lips" sound. It called several times over a half hour period before falling silent as it went dark.

My primary aim in visiting the Suffolk heaths last night was to see Nightjar and of course I was disappointed on missing out. However, the birds at Dunwich Heath and the calling Quail at Westleton Heath were more than compensation.

Richard

[Gill Catton]

Wow I'm soooo jealous I think I've actually turned a shade of green.....
That sounds fantastic!!!!! And I think hearing nightjar is just as rewarding as seeing them - well at least to me, they'd be far more dissappointing if you saw them and didn't hear them anyway I reckon. I have seen one and it was just a dark silhouette somehow reminiscent of a cuckoo.
I don't know if I'm going to make it to Suffolk this year shame because I so love it!

[rlchew]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

Wow I'm soooo jealous I think I've actually turned a shade of green.....
That sounds fantastic!!!!! And I think hearing nightjar is just as rewarding as seeing them - well at least to me, they'd be far more dissappointing if you saw them and didn't hear them anyway I reckon. I have seen one and it was just a dark silhouette somehow reminiscent of a cuckoo.
I don't know if I'm going to make it to Suffolk this year shame because I so love it!

Gill

I agree regarding the sound of Nightjars. It is so evocative of those warm, summer nights out on the heath.

They are exciting to see too but getting a view other than a silhouette is obviously somewhat difficult!

I hope you make it to Suffolk at some point this year. As you say, it is a lovely County.

Richard

[Mark43]

Sounds like my sort of evening Richard.

Still not had the pleasure of Dartford Warblers yet but the site John gave me for Nightjars in Norfolk last week was pretty fab with good views.

Nice report

[glsammy]

I really must get out more.. I've been stuck in for weeks for one reason or another, with only one days outing in over three weeks.
Your report make me determined to get out of here! I'll never get any shots glued to a computer screens all day.
Thanks for painting such a good picture of your outing.

[rlchew]

Originally Posted by glsammy

I really must get out more.. I've been stuck in for weeks for one reason or another, with only one days outing in over three weeks.
Your report make me determined to get out of here! I'll never get any shots glued to a computer screens all day.
Thanks for painting such a good picture of your outing.

Graham

I know exactly how you feel. It is times like Saturday evening when I too feel that the real world is outside rather than being tied to the PC (as good as WAB is!).

Richard