The Song of the Nightingale

The summer migrants have been steadily arriving throughout April. On the 8th at Moor Green, Berks, I saw WILLOW WARBLER, singing what I think is a sad little song, but oddly enough, one of my favourites. SEDGE and CETTIS WARBLER, SWALLOW and WHITETHROAT were at Farlington Marshes, Hants, on the 10th. A change of scenery in a visit to Wishmoor Bottom, Berks turned up a TREE PIPIT and CUCKOO and a late remaining male BRAMBLING. A COMMON TERN paid a brief visit to Moor Green on the 17th. It flew in and circled Tern Island a few times and then decided not to stay and flew off south east. REED WARBLER had taken up residence in the Manor Lake reed bed at Moor Green on the 23rd, whilst a WHEATEAR and SWIFT were seen nearby on the same day. Thursley Common and REDSTARTS were the target on the 24th and I was lucky enough to find six, the males looking very striking in their breeding plumage. After leaving Thursley, I took a chance and travelled   to Woolmer Pond Cottage, Hants, where a male RING OUZEL had been reported the previous day. I new the area fairly well and after twenty minutes or so I found the bird, fantastic, my first ever. I managed to take a record
shot, unfortunately it was too far away for anything better. On the 28th, I went  to Pulborough Brooks for an annual visit to see the NIGHTINGALES which had recently arrived back at the reserve from their long migration journey.
They were quiet at first, probably due to it raining at the time, but the rain stopped and the sun came out, which seemed to  be
 the signal for them to start singing and boy did they sing. There is nothing that can ever compare to their song and when a bird is a few feet away , singing at the top of it's voice, there's nothing quite like it.