An evening walk to Mutter’s Moor, to see nightjars

It was a lovely dry evening with a clear moon. Once everyone had arrived, we set off across the moor’s edge with our first bird sighting, swifts collecting insects high above our heads. We moved on to the sounds of a song thrush and a secretive wren. Further along the path we spotted a pair of yellowhammers high in a tree, with other views of carrion crow, stonechat, and linnets nearby.

A bit deeper into the moor, and with darkness closing in, we heard the unmistakable sounds of churring nightjars. Within a short time, we were rewarded with multiple flying displays of this secretive nocturnal bird. With everyone in high spirits we made our way back to the car park to the sound of a distant tawny owl. We finished a successful night with a frightening encounter with a toad that jumped out of the dark into our path. Laughs all round!

Richard Winfield

14 species recorded (H = heard only): Woodpigeon; Tawny owl (H); Nightjar; Swift; Wren (H); Stonechat; Song Thrush (H); Chiffchaff (H); Willow Warbler (H); Carrion crow; Chaffinch; Greenfinch; Linnet; Yellowhammer.