First Nighingale Walk of the Year.

I am the first to admit, every-year I am always nervous of the first official walk of the year. This generally takes place about halfway through April and is no guarantee the males will sing, especially when the weather Mid-Apr is never always that good, one never really knows until the day, of course by then it's too late to cancel things.

We all met just before 7 pm in the car park at Bromhey Farm, in the event fellow walk leaders Dave and Robin between us had a job accomodating all the cars in the fairly small area.

At 7 pm prompt we set off along the track towards Sweeney View Point. as is usual most first-timers were wowed by the vista across the vast expanse of the marsh and Essex in the distance. I have given the talk to many groups over the years relating to the Cooling Radio Station and WW2 and Winnie talking to the US President etc in the war years.

I always think it amazing, the huge amount of valves, wires and radio technology that must have gone into two world leaders being able to talk to each other. Now with a small phone in my hand I can ring up my son in Australia, no problem.

Anyway to the present. We walked from Sweeney to the dip and across the wooden bridge, passing the Cherry Orchard to our right and ascending the steep slope to the Norad (as it is known to locals).

We heard snatches of the sought birds' song, a whistle here and a trill here interspersed with the Robins' trill, Blackcap/birds song, Chiff-Chaff etc. Be patient, I said, we will hear the full song of Nightingale, hopefully, shortly.

So, into the wood proper, a hundred steps in and the magic began. A male in full flow. Every whistle, note, flute as clear as a spires' bell. The faces of the 36 guests, many hearing the celebrated songster for the first time is something to behold every year.

Slowly we made our way back down the hill in the fading light as it was close to 8.30, we had heard some good singing males along the way, however, two hundred yards before the Bromhey car-park another Pavroti burst into song as a swan song to remind those three dozen people who had made the effort to come out this evening on a Thursday, that this is a bird that's worth making a journey to hear and add their voice and ours to oppose the plans of local authorities to build on areas where they flourish and will hopefully continue so to do.