Tuesday May 6th - and a bit of singing

I went to Pulborough Brooks for a couple of hours this morning as it's one of the best places to hear and see Nightingale and they're probably only in song for a couple more weeks. They have established good habitat on the reserve and now have a decent density of birds each year (They estimate 9 singing males this year).

As predicted the weather had turned - it was actually cloudy with a bit of drizzle first thing with the wind being quite strong, so not ideal for passerines, although it did clear a bit by the time I left.
The first warbler I saw was a Garden Warbler, and heard 3 or 4 birds on the walk which must have only arrived in the last few days. Plenty of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Common Whitethroat with the occasional Sedge and Reed Warbler and yes - Nightingales - I probably heard 5 individuals and saw 2 well. The brooks themselves were generally pretty quite although a male Garganey was present and although no hirundines over the brooks about 50 Swifts went over the reserve . I also saw a Lesser Whitethroat on the return walk, which appeared to me to be establishing a nest !.

Nightingale in full flow.

Willow Warbler