We met promptly at 7 at the Guard House of the former Lodge Hill Army Camp in Chattenden.
At the beginning of each walk, I normally give a short talk regarding Medway Council’s outrageous plan to build housing adjacent to or on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI in short).
In total nearly 30 of us were present, being the site most under threat from the Councils’ Housing Policy I felt it warranted a little more explanation as to what is at stake.
Most were aware of Lodge Hills’ National Importance regarding Nightingale numbers. Estimated at 1;5% of the UK population, personally I would add to that for the whole of the Hoo Peninsula, bringing the total to 2:00 or even 2:25% of the UK population.
So off we set to hear the fabled bird, for the first few hundred yards we heard plenty of Blackcap, Blackcap and Chiff Chaff, every now and then a Robin trilled nearby.
Taking an off-shoot from the main drag we did start to hear Nightingale singing albeit not always the full monty, but enough to appreciate the beauty of this most amazing songster.
After about 15 minutes of bird-song we retraced our steps back toward our starting point. Along the way songsters regaled us from the roadside shrubbery.
Blackcap, Robin, Blackbird, Chiff Chaff and at the end the lovely repetitive song of a Song Thrush to round off the evening.
So suffice to say a good evening with some new friends and old ones and everyone seemed happy with what they had heard.
My thanks to Warren, Lesley and Ed for their assistance.