A group assembled at Black Down on the evening of 25th June and were led along the heathland tracks as darkness fell. They were treated to the magical sound of nightjars churring in declaration of their territories, and to the sight of these rare birds flying against the inky blue sky.
Nightjars are summer visitors to the UK building their nests on the ground in heathland habitats. They remain still and impeccably camouflaged during the day, taking to the skies only at dusk and dawn to hunt for their prey of moths and beetles. Sitting on their eggs for around 18 days, in crude nests on patches of bare ground, and feeding their helpless young for a further 18 days before they are ready to fledge, this species is very vulnerable to disturbance. The birds are easily spooked and can abandon their nests after a single incident, which is why local heathland managers implore people to keep to the paths and keep their dogs on a lead during the critical breeding season between April and September.
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