Nightjar - never seen one....

[Daisychain]

Ive just watched a wildlife rescue programme on TV & a cat had got hold of a Nightjar - well Ive never seen one, but i couldn't believe how scary it looked/sounded!! more like a snake, and being a floor dwelling birdie I guess this is it 1st line of defence - amazing. Just wanted to share

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Daisychain

Ive just watched a wildlife rescue programme on TV & a cat had got hold of a Nightjar - well Ive never seen one, but i couldn't believe how scary it looked/sounded!! more like a snake, and being a floor dwelling birdie I guess this is it 1st line of defence - amazing. Just wanted to share

LoL Speak to anybody who's ringed Nightjar and they will confirm they are indeed the weirdest birds when under threat. Like you say, they turn their heads right round slowly and give an almighty hiss!

I've not had one in the hand but have had very close encounters, including having them circle just a few metres away round my head making the weirdest clucking noise!

[nigel_b]

Yep they're brilliant birds! Dorset heathland about an hour after sunset. The sound is amazing.

[Melus]

In the late 80's early 90's I was part of a team that studied Nightjar in Clipstone Forest, Notts. The adults and young were ringed and blood samples taken for DNA analysis.
I was lucky enough to handle quite a few.

The photos show a male, with the distictive white spots on the primaries and tail.

I did have a cracking photo of an adult in the hand with its mouth open, but unfortunately I loaned the slide to a fellow ringer who sadly passed away and I never reclaimed the slide.

Magical times and still the highlite of my ringing and I still get a buzz each time I hear that 'churring Quip and wing clapping.



Regards
Gary

[Daisychain]

Originally Posted by Melus

In the late 80's early 90's I was part of a team that studied Nightjar in Clipstone Forest, Notts. The adults and young were ringed and blood samples taken for DNA analysis.
I was lucky enough to handle quite a few.

The photos show a male, with the distictive white spots on the primaries and tail.

I did have a cracking photo of an adult in the hand with its mouth open, but unfortunately I loaned the slide to a fellow ringer who sadly passed away and I never reclaimed the slide.

Magical times and still the highlite of my ringing and I still get a buzz each time I hear that 'churring Quip and wing clapping.



Regards
Gary

Id love to see one, thanks for all the info - really interesting looking bird.

[fairplay]

My favourite bird, never get tired of observing these.
They have webbed feet which is thought to be for keeping their whiskers clean of the moths they catch.

There is nothing to beat the magical experience of going onto the heaths on a warm still night with roding Woodcocks around you followed by the eeriness of the first churring male Nightjar.
Then all the others join in and you become confused where the churring is coming from. Finally the first bird flies up to you to check you out and if you are lucky will land on a bare patch of sand just a few metres away.

And if you are very lucky, on the walk back home, you will see the glow worms in the undergrowth or grass. Magic.

Neil.

[werdnal]

Never seen one other than photos and TV, but we had one here a few years ago. Several evenings we heard this strange noise a couple of fields away - like an engine running. Its a really eerie noise. It's called churring, which is a very good description of it. If I am allowed I have posted a link:

Northamptonshire Sound Gallery

We guessed it was a Nightjar, although never heard one here before, or since for that matter.

[Melus]

Originally Posted by werdnal

Never seen one other than photos and TV, but we had one here a few years ago. Several evenings we heard this strange noise a couple of fields away - like an engine running. Its a really eerie noise. It's called churring, which is a very good description of it. If I am allowed I have posted a link:

Northamptonshire Sound Gallery

We guessed it was a Nightjar, although never heard one here before, or since for that matter.

A lovely sound Werdnel there's nothing else like it at dusk and dawn. I can't wait for the last week in May until they return to Notts.

By the way I was watching a wildlife programme on TV a few weeks ago filmed in Africa and you could just make out the churring of a nightjar durring their stay in Africa. They overwinter in South Africa and the footage was taken during the day. I was wondering does anyone know if Nightjar chur durring the day or was the programme background dubbed. Its been bugging me eversince. In the UK i've only ever heard them chur at dawn and dusk.

regards
Gary

[Daisychain]

Originally Posted by werdnal

Never seen one other than photos and TV, but we had one here a few years ago. Several evenings we heard this strange noise a couple of fields away - like an engine running. Its a really eerie noise. It's called churring, which is a very good description of it. If I am allowed I have posted a link:

Northamptonshire Sound Gallery

We guessed it was a Nightjar, although never heard one here before, or since for that matter.

What an excellent link - Ive listened to loads of bird calls now, brilliant - thanks you for that.

[Back]

Originally Posted by Melus

A lovely sound Werdnel there's nothing else like it at dusk and dawn. I can't wait for the last week in May until they return to Notts.

By the way I was watching a wildlife programme on TV a few weeks ago filmed in Africa and you could just make out the churring of a nightjar durring their stay in Africa. They overwinter in South Africa and the footage was taken during the day. I was wondering does anyone know if Nightjar chur durring the day or was the programme background dubbed. Its been bugging me eversince. In the UK i've only ever heard them chur at dawn and dusk.

regards
Gary

Hi Gary, I think there is some information for you in this thread:
Daytime nightjar
Best wishes,
A