A real unexpected highlight last night that left my Girlfriend and I "high-fiving" in the back garden!

I was just finishing watering some plants, and heard a very brief burst of a Nightjar in the distance. Was extremely lucky that there was no traffic and the bird was emitting the loudest / closest burst of song just as I turned towards it. Called Kathleen, and sure enough, it was going full blast in the distance, but only detectable when there was no traffic, and only heard when cupping our ears to the source. Grabbed my recorder and headed off towards the bird, but it was too dark to go into the woods. The dog walkers' paths are hard enough to find in the daylight! Instead, I had to make do with slightly closer calling, a brief view of a Fox trotting into the village, and a Woodcock calling in the same woods. By listening from two streets, I was able to work out roughly where he was calling from.

Will have a better chance this evening, when I intend to head out at dusk, and stake out the most likely clearing. I have been here before in previous years with Nightjar in mind, but have never recorded one in this location before, and haven't noticed any historical records either. It's only midday, but I am really looking forward to this evening, and hopefully a glimpse of one of Hampshire's star birds..