Night of the Jar

In response to Twitchell's success in Cornwall I was inspired to go Nightjar hunting on Monday night. Clear skies, warm(ish) and not much wind, so ideal for the hunt. Arrived at the woods (where local RSPB walks go each year) at 8.15 to try and work out where the best spot was for the one or two pairs that are there. Saw a few things and kept hearing a distant cuckoo. By 9.30 I had worked out the heathland area to steak out and this was confirmed when a dog walker said 'you looking for nightjars as well'. He directed me to Peter - fellow twitcher at the other side of the heath. Bins and torches at the ready and an instant roding woodcock flew above the trees as the light started to fade. Peter put the mockers on things a bit by asking where I'd parked and then proceeded to confirm this was where the 'men' hang out late at night - his phrase was slightly homophobic to say the least. Anyway, the churring began by 9.45..........half an hour later we were hearing and not seeing even though he'd seen them flying catching moths before at this spot.
I lost patience and yomped to the noise and was rewarded when 2 nightjars flew off their perch within 10 yards of me and all was well. 'Wow', I recall saying. Saw one of them again at close quarters as I walked back to the spotting zone and said goodnight to Peter at 10.40.

Torch out down darked path back to the car and heard a number of voices as a number of cars had joined mine in the George Michael zone. I stayed focussed and as a bloke said at work, avoided seeing another woodcock. Home for 11.05 after a bizzare evening.

Evans Lee