Thursday was the second walk at RSPB Cliffe Pools and the fifth one overall. It was a pleasant surprise to meet twenty people in the car-park at Cliffe, even though I was a couple of minutes late and the gates were locked as I'd forgotten to remind reserve staff not to close it at five as normal. Once I'd unlocked we went in, parked up and introduced ourselves. It was nice to see a few returning faces and some from last year.
As ever, I gave a little talk, but I've learnt over time that people just want to get out on plot and hear the object of us gathering together. So aided by Warren Mann and Des and Carol Felix we set off along The Saxon Shore Way. A few whistles and chup-chups were heard along the way. At the lower point of the pathway, almost everything is drowned out by the harsh squawking of a couple of hundred Black-headed Gulls nesting and roosting on the two small islands
I know from experience when I have a group and the majority have never heard a Nightingale these odd notes thrown out amongst the backdrop of Blackbirds, Chaffinch, Blackcap and the explosive call of Cetti's Warbler, it can be very difficult for them to appreciate the bird. It needs one or two males in close proximity giving it the full monty, for a minute or two when the other songsters are getting ready for bed. It is then and only then can I say to them, "Once heard, never forgotten eh? This is usually greeted with a sea of smiling faces and nodding heads.
Groups of twenty or so often split in two with me leading from the front and Warren bringing up the rear, we don't go too far from each other just in case either group find a singing male.
We stopped to admire the setting sun across Cliffe Creek mouth as it spills into Old Father Thames. On the way back both groups managed to get melodious earfuls of the full song.
Everyone agreed 'Once heard never forgotten' So aside from the afore-mentioned singers we had a beautiful performance from a Song Thrush with its classic three or four times repeated phrasings. Just to add to the magic Cuckoos called most of the evening.
I look forward to the next and final walk at Northward Hill RSPB, 7 pm in Bromhey Farm car-park.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.