Nightingales

Hi Kathy

Another local site for you is the nature reserve at Little Paxton Pits. They have several nesting pairs, and a visit in May when they are in full song is well worth the effort. They even do specific nightingale walks.

Hi guys.

I'm amazed nobody seems to have mentioned Paxton Pits in Cambridgeshire yet. This is THE place to come for nightingales!

Paxton Pits has one of the highest densities of nightingales in the country. We get up to 30 singing males each year.

Best of all, our Paxton nightingales our famed for showing really well, giving great views and posing for photographs -  if you're patient. Come along in May (I'd recommend the first two weeks for the ultimate nightingale show!) and you will not be disappointed.

The first nightingales arrive at the Pits around the third week of April and unpaired birds can still be singing well into June, so there's plenty of time to catch up with them.

Because there is so much competition between such a density of nightingales here, they sing all day when they've first arrived, but the quality of the evening and night song is really special - and most of the other birds have gone to bed of course. I spend hours watching and listening to the nightingales here each year. I can't recommend it enough!

I live in Little Paxton village and I can even hear 5 or 6 of them singing from my garden at night in April and May -  I'm very lucky!

Mark

Ha!

Great minds think alike Trochilus.

You must come along now guys - with two recommendations!

Mark

We heard one singing ,out of sight,  one evening at Minsmere, absolutely mesmerising, we must have sat 20 mins listening.   About an hour later whilst walking across the bridge from Centre an LBJ flew across and landed on a branch in front of us. A nightingale, followed by another  -  an absolute joy,

Hi Ian

That is something that I did not know about nightingales at the Lodge

We visit the Lodge quite a lot, and please let me know if you have any sightings of one {big smile}

Really hope it is at the weekend as it is the best time for Dave and I to go together to visit {smile}

Never been to Minsmere yet, and it is on the list of to do's. 

Thank you for your link,

Great to see them so up close and personal

Seymour:  Great that you have managed to see them too

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Ian H said:

We occasionally get nightingales in the scrub on and around the reserve here at The Lodge. If any turn up this year i'll try to post about it. Last year was a no show unfortunately but i remember about three years ago we had a couple of pairs in the surrounding area.

Minsmere however always attracts a good number, the last time i visited in May you could here them from the car park!

Hi Colin

Again all these lovely places to visit - Forest of Dean is a must too.

Now the light nights are coming back, and hopefully Dave will work in London in the near future life will be easier all round for visits to Reserves.

Not heard of Wellington Country Park either.

Sounds like you have been very busy looking around all the areas - just the best experiencing {big smile}

Will enjoy investigating the areas

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Unknown said:

Other good places (especially if you're further west) are the Cotswold Water Park near Cirencester (look out for nightingale walks run by the CWP Society) and Highnam Woods RSPB reserve between Gloucester and the Forest of Dean.

Also, no idea if they are still there but Wellington Country Park (close to Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire) used to be good. I heard and saw nightingales there years and years ago when I was a super keen YOC member doing a sponsored birdwatch!

Good hunting!

Colin

Hi Buzzard

Thank you for your suggested haunts, and your link

I think that Alexandra Park will be on my list.  After a visit a few weeks ago, it gives an idea of the lay of the land, and it is easy to get the public transport there from where I stay.

I see that there is a walk later on this year so it may be to late to see Nightingales.  Still though I will keep my ear to the ground fro information  Need to contact the group for any future meetings.

Still more places to visit.  I will discuss this with Dave and see what he thinks.  It is getting close to Nightingale prime time once more so we will see what we will do.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Buzzard said:

Has anyone had the luck to have heard and seen a Nightingale in the UK

They are a rare find these days.