Saturday 12th May

After a visit to Stoneacre, Otham this afternoon, I let James have a run around on the playground on Otham village green. Scanning across the playing field towards the pools - in the unlikely hope of seeing an Osprey (as had been reported twice in the Loose Valley last week) - I saw 2 Swallows copulating on the grass! I really should have just kept my eyes on James.

The wind seemed to die down early evening and the dying sun tempted me to make a visit to Mereworth Woods, not least to catch a roding Woodcock and may be hear an early Nightjar. The descending tones of a Willow Warbler were heard as I stood waiting for dusk to fall. Then a high-pitched pip and grunt (so unique!) alerted me to a roding Woodcock, circuiting it's territory. Woodcock were seen a further 8 occasions before dusk finally fell. Then the churring began...distantly at first, with the characteristic change in tone as the Nightjar moved it's head, and then closer before falling silent. It had obviously moved but I did manage to see it. A trio of bats flickered in and out of my path as I made my way back to the car, but not before hearing a second Nightjar adjacent to a newly cleared area a little way on.