On a still, warm evening, 14 Chi Nats members gathered in expectation of an exciting field outing. We had all arrived at the car park for Lavington Common, a piece of rare lowland heath between Duncton and Petworth, with the hope of hearing and possibly seeing, Nightjars.

Our leader for the evening, David Hart, gave us an introduction to the area and then we set off up a sandy path into the heart of the reserve. Nightjars, as their name suggests, come out at night and can be seen at dusk and dawn, so we spent the time before nightfall independently exploring this fascinating reserve. Several of us encountered the belted Galloways, deployed on the reserve to assist with its management, as well as observing several species including chaffinch, buzzard, sundews, red-tailed bumble bees and hearing cuckoos and tawny owl. The sunset over the heath was magnificent and served as a useful “alarm” that it was time to regroup.

As dusk settled we regrouped with David and stood entranced as the sound of Nightjars filled the air. The sound is technically described as “Churring” (although I would describe it more like a whirring sound !) However it is described, it was astonishing to hear birds making this sound. In addition to hearing them sing, we were also lucky enough to see a few of them fly over us. Following their flight path we spotted one of them hunkered down on a branch, which made you appreciate how well camouflaged they are.

Following this wonderful display, we deployed our torches to find our way back down the path to the car park, occasionally glimpsing large hairy white backs, as the cattle continued their grazing !

Many thanks to David for leading us on this fantastic exploration !

Christian Hance

Photos by Christian Hance. Header photo - stock creative commons photograph