There were 18 guests and 5 group members at Bromhey Farm last night. Our Group Leader Warren Mann addressed the assembled thanking Sonja (The Warden) for allowing us to visit the reserve after hours. He then decided to split the group into two with a leader assigned to each. Me to one and Trevor Hatton to the other.
I decided to go to the path that leads to the Ernest Hemsley Viewpoint as I'd heard a Nightingale singing there an hour previously. Ten minutes later we were listening to the bird itself giving voice from the hidden interior of a bramble thicket.
We then back-tracked through the Willow Wood and up to Sweeney Viewpoint where we met the other group. They decided to go back to where we'd heard the singing male. We ploughed on toward The Hill. To be honest, I am getting to that age when the ascent is becoming more and more arduous and I think some of the group were with me on that one, but we persevered and after 20 minutes we were at the viewpoint. Not only did this give us as usual a sensational vista of the marsh spread out below and beyond across to the mighty River Thames and the hills of our neighbouring County Essex. We were also treated to two males singing a full duet within yards of each other.
Duets are traditionally sung between lovers, those that have a mutual affection toward the other songster. These singers are proclaiming their patch and telling others to push off and telling females to come hither.
We closed at 9.00 and it is fair to say that, again it was a very successful evening and all those who wanted to hear Nightingale, were not disappointed.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.