Kent and Suffolk, 29th May 2022

After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, I made my way back to North Foreland and met up with Jamie Partridge. We joined a group of around 20 birders looking for the Sardinian, which was surprisingly still present. It called a few times whilst I was there, but I didn't feel inclined to spend the day staring at a bush in the hope of a glimpse. One of the local Peregrines tussled with a buzzard as we stood there, adding to the falcon tally for the trip. Jamie and I headed for coffee and cake, and it was excellent to catch up with him.

After than I couldn't resist another peek at the falcon, which was again performing brilliantly. I spent another hour or so photographing it and taking it in before hitting the road. 

Prior to the appearance of the falcon, I had contemplated a few days at Minsmere (and other locations), mainly as it's a decent area to see southern species that I've not seen in a few years. As many of these are also in Kent, I had opted to spend at least the day here and asked a few local friends for tips. The main bird targets were Turtle Dove and Nightingale; a sad sign of these two species' spectacular declines. Turtle doves are rare even here these-days and I tried a couple of sites without success, although mostly, I suspect, due to the time of day. There was little point in trying nightingales in blazing midday sunshine, so I opted for a rare bit of botanising. Not something I normally due, but with some stunning orchids on offer it was an enjoyable option. 

Monkey Orchid. As each leaf looks like a tiny monkey. Sort of. 

Lady Orchid. Complete with tiny ladies.

Man orchid. A slightly less convincing man, but at least it keeps the anthropomorphic theme going.

There were also common lizards and slow worms quite commonly around the site; two species that I also see only rarely.#

Slow worm

Nest stop was Leybourne Lakes near Maidstone. This is a country park comprises woodland set around a series of lakes (presumably former quarries), in a relatively urban setting, but it somehow seems to have a super high abundance of nightingales. A bit of googling took me to a lake peninsula in the southwest. It was 4pm so still early, but worth a try. Nightingales can be incredibly elusive, so I went with the expectation of a protracted search. Remarkably I immediately heard a calling bird, 'croaking' close to the path I was on. I quickly located it, and as it was carrying food I was presumably close to a nest with chicks. For the next 45 minutes or so this bird showed incredibly well, carrying food back and forth but regularly checking me out and allowing me to photograph it. Another - presumably it's partner - remained more typically shy but did show at times. At least one more bird burst in to occasional song.

Common Nightingale. Sadly no longer common, although it never occurred in the north west.

It was around 5pm and I had no particular plan. I could have stayed in Kent but, took the decision to  go back to my original idea and head north a couple hours to Minsmere in Suffolk, so I booked myself in to a B&B and meandered up the M11. 

By 7.30 I was booked-in and had a bit of daylight to spare. Westleton Heath beckoned, although by now it was a little cool and breezy. In the last of the light I watched a cuckoo, listened to Dartford warblers and a nearby singing nightingale before the sun set and the goat-suckers came out. You can't beat a  churring Nightjar, and one bird showed particularly well whilst sat on a branch. Time for a pint and comfortable sleep.