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Sunday 31 July 2016

a 'jarring success at Buxton Heath!

Following a really enjoyable barbecue supper, Linda and I and our good friends Sue and Peter drove cross country to Buxton Heath. I know the area really well, having once renovated an old cottage at Hevingham: Buxton Heath is one of my favourite places to ramble about on!

As we walked out from the carpark, a ground mist was hovering in the boggy areas, imparting a positively 'Hound of the Baskervilles' atmosphere to the landscape.

Presumably because of the mist and descending night, there was nowhere near the number of bird species as our last visit: just a few pigeons and corvids. Then, at around 9.30pm, we began to hear churring and the occasional 'kewick': suddenly two Nightjars glided past, just twenty feet from us! A marvellous moment. A bird began churring quite nearby, so I walked  back along the path to look for it. As I approached it took flight, allowing the only 'shot' of the evening.

Before the night closed in, we saw one more Nightjar fly by and enjoyed watching the International Space Station pass overhead. Just above the south-western horizon Saturn and Mars were a spectacular sight...









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