Monday 30 April 2012

A CHOIR OF NIGHTINGALES


With some much appreciated help from Eddie Denson and a much less appreciated dawn o'clock start, the Nightingales got counted on the west side of the railway track at New Hythe in TQ76A this morning. At least on this occasion they weren't 'singing in the rain' and I did manage to get a passable picture of this one at the Brook House entrance to the country park.
The good news is that there were no less than sixteen singers counted, a veritable choir of Nightingales! Add this to the seven counted on the east side of the track and we have a sub total of twenty three. I say sub total because hopefully there will have been some found across the river by a different surveyor, whose results I haven't seen yet. Bear in mind this is just one 2km square tetrad, if only this was typical across the country. Unfortunately it won't be, or anything near it I guess.
While on the subject of Nightingales, on friday night at about 22.20 I was in the study and thought I heard birdsong coming from the back garden. I walked out on the patio and to my surprise it was a Nightingale, singing in the dark, just beyond my garden fence. This was the first one I have heard from the house in 31 years, ironically it was also the day I completed my first ever Nightingale survey. It was still singing intermittently this afternoon, I will have a listen tonight now that the lashing rain and howling wind has stopped......until tomorrow!

5 comments:

Marianne said...

Wow, that's a great count, and a lovely photo. Now's the best time to get pics, I guess, as the leaves haven't grown in completely yet. How weird to have your first garden Nightingale at the same time. Maybe they are following you :)

ShySongbird said...

You are much too modest Phil! That is much more than passable, its a lovely photo! Also a lovely collective name, I wonder why no one thought of that? I've seen an 'enchantment of Nightingales' which is nice but yours is better.

How amazing having one singing n your garden, really magical. When my parents were courting they travelled miles on their bikes one evening to a spot Dad knew so Mum could here a Nightingale singing at night.

Unknown said...

A lovely pic Phil, just come across your blog, will definately look back again!!
Feel free to check out my blog at:
http://iow-birder.blogspot.co.uk/

Warren Baker said...

I agree Phil, it would be nice if Nightingales were that common everywhere. My patch lost its two breeding pairs 5 years ago :-(

Jason K said...

one word 'jealous!'

16 Nightingales...that's fantastic Phil. That's probably as many as the total remaining population of Worcestershires Nightingales these days