nightingales

[BettyB]

When we first came to live here ( Mid Norfolk ) in late 1960s there were nightingales but they disappeared after a few years until now.

In late April we again heard the unmistakeable song, always at the same time, 5.30PM for about 3/4 of an hour. Lovely.

Like so many, we had never seen a nightingale. Mid-May a rather elegant light brown bird with beige underneath appeared on the feeders. Not female blackbird; too small. Could only be a nightingale and matched the references exactly. Came every day. About three weeks ago we remarked that our nightingale was very greedy and then realised it was not one greedy individual but a pair, presumably feeding young.

We are pretty sure where the nest is; very near the fedeers and in a sheltered fairly large and mautre shrub bed with conifers at the back. Later in the year we will have a look.

We hope that they will come back again but after at least thirty years since they were last here we are not holding our breath. Why this year?

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by BettyB

When we first came to live here ( Mid Norfolk ) in late 1960s there were nightingales but they disappeared after a few years until now.

In late April we again heard the unmistakeable song, always at the same time, 5.30PM for about 3/4 of an hour. Lovely.

Like so many, we had never seen a nightingale. Mid-May a rather elegant light brown bird with beige underneath appeared on the feeders. Not female blackbird; too small. Could only be a nightingale and matched the references exactly. Came every day. About three weeks ago we remarked that our nightingale was very greedy and then realised it was not one greedy individual but a pair, presumably feeding young.

We are pretty sure where the nest is; very near the fedeers and in a sheltered fairly large and mautre shrub bed with conifers at the back. Later in the year we will have a look.

We hope that they will come back again but after at least thirty years since they were last here we are not holding our breath. Why this year?

Have to say Betty that I have never heard of Nightingales using feeders and your description of their nestinng habitat is not the norm either. Are you certain they were Nightingales? Not saying they aren't just doesn't like it.

Cheers,

Adam

[BettyB]

I am as certain as I can be but, never having seen one before, I am going by books and web-site pictures. I have looked in five different books and on three websites and have found nothing else that looks even similar. The song was absolutely unmistakeable.

It is the suet balls that they take with great enthusiasm as does every other bird that comes. Tits, chaffinches, jays, blackbirds, doves, pigeons GS woodpeckers,starlings. They cost us a fortune but repay in the pleasure we have sitting comfortably indoors watching them. We get a good look with binoculars. Getting a photograph is problematic. Take it through dbl. glazing and there are muliple reflections ( very artistic sometimes ); open the window and they all fly off.

The "nightingales" (?) are very tolerant of everything except the starlings which they see off with great determination

The place where we think the nest is just as described in all the books. Plenty of undisturbed garden debris, low branches, leaves twigs etc. plenty of grass, animal hair, moss

We have never seen this bird before. If not nightingales What are they?

They are not at the feeders all day; an hour or so in the morning (9.00 ish ) and a bit longer late afternoon so presumably feeding on other stuff elsewhere at other times. If they return from the other side we would not see them going to where we think there is a nest.

Opportunism? After all when did seagulls learn about tips?

[Jackaroo]

Hi BettyB, there's nothing like a photo to clarify identification. You'll find that, depending on the proximity of your feeders, if you open a window then go have a cuppa tea or whatever, the birds will resume feeding relatively quickly and you might have the chance of a half decent I.D. shot. Again, if the range is a bit too much for your camera you might get away with parking yourself in a quiet corner of the garden and waiting till things settle. Patience is the key most of the time. Good luck if you try it. Jack.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by BettyB

We have never seen this bird before. If not nightingales What are they?

Hi Betty,

If I had read your initial post without you describing the bird, I would have said Blackcap. Who knows?

If you can get a photo no matter how good or bad it could help.

Cheers,

Adam

[Naturenutz]

Garden warbler may be another possible . But i hope you are correct in your id.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by BettyB

Mid-May a rather elegant light brown bird with beige underneath appeared on the feeders.

We need a photo!!

To me, the only thing elegant about a nightingale is its song. To my eyes they are non-descript LBJs and pretty shy.

I don't live far from you, and could virtually guarantee to show you one next May local to me.

[BettyB]

Hobjob, thanks for replying,

Elegance, like beauty is doubtless in the eye of the beholder but I'll try to justify my use of the term.

First, nothing to do with colour. Sometimes colour is merely gaudy.

Secondly, I used to breed Great Danes and the colours are attractive, certainly, but the elegance comes from the combination of outline and balance so I think this is what I find elegant in our nightingales ( if they are nightingales ). They are certainly not black caps. Neither of the pair ( and I've seen them together ) has any black.

I also find the mistle thrush elegant but the starling definitely not. Tits are charming but not elegant. It's something to do with the topline. Any dog breeder will understand. So I defend my elegant for nightingales.

[BettyB]

Have just looked at the bird identifier on here and that confirms it. They are definitely nightingales.

Perhaps my description of the locality was not very accurate.

Our very large garden used to be farmland. Where we think the nest is is more than what is thought of as a shrub bed, I suppose. The conifers are a distraction. We wanted a quick screen and windbreak. The area has old hawthorn and blackthorn and we have planted pyracantha so plenty of berries. When we cut the grass ( not lawn! ) there are swarms of insect "casualties". There are numerous mature trees. Sycamore (ugh) Ash, Birch, Willow,Acer. Eucalyptus. Shrubs include Viburnum, Philadelphus, Ribes and a large Magnolia Grandiflora. It seems to attract a wide variety of birds. Mostly it is left undisturbed as weeds are naturally suppressed and the fallen leaves and twigs form a thick layer. Next door is a SSSI with pond, gorse, willow, blackthorn, hawthorn etc. ( Also orchids, hence the SSSI designation ) Approx 10 acres I would guess.

Hope this will not be thought irrelevant.

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by BettyB

Hope this will not be thought irrelevant.

Hi again BettyB, it's not so much the habitat as the dietary habits. The Nightingale is classed as an insectivore and although it's perfectly feasible that the bird in question might have a peck or two at your feeders it seems uncharacteristic! Also, nightingales are reputedly quite shy birds at least as far as humans go. But having said all that, you're not to think that we're dismissing your I.D. out of hand. It's just reasonable doubt.