Following the excessive heat during the day (hitting 35C locally), 12 people met for a slightly cooler evening visit to Crooksbury Common. This site, managed by Forestry England and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation is a mixture of coniferous woodland, scrub and open heathland. Clearfells have taken place across the site over the last 20 years, mainly followed by natural regeneration, but a large area to the south of the site has been kept as open heathland, dominated by heather, but with occasional trees. This latter area is leased to ARC, and is partly designated as an SSSI, the notification listing all six native reptiles as present as well as natterjack toads, plus Dartford warblers.

Although the visit met at 20.30hrs, a previous check the evening before had shown that the nightjars were unlikely to make their presence known until 21.45hrs, so the group enjoyed a gentle walk to the top of the site through the more wooded areas in the hope of seeing some other birds. One woodlark was heard briefly as we set off, giving us some hope, followed by a garden warbler in the scrub around the old well (shown on the OS map, but not obvious!), but the ferocious heat seemed to have slowed down all other wildlife, with just one solitary wood pigeon seen sitting out the heat on a branch as we passed by.

Fortunately, at 21.43 hrs (almost on time!) a brief  churring was heard on the western end of the open area, followed by much louder and extended churring to the south of the main bridleway, with limited views for some of a nightjar flying between fairly dense Scots pines (but just off the Forestry England site). Walking slowly around the open heathland area, we encountered a number of nightjars – churring, wing clapping and using contact calls, with some good views, even in the gloom, of their distinctive shape as they flew close by. 

Sadly, there were no natterjacks calling, but a tawny owl was heard a number of times to the east of the site, and one highlight for some of us was the sight of woodcock flying overhead on two occasions.

Crooksbury Common is an interesting site, and well worth visiting during the day, for woodlark and Dartford warblers, as well as the opportunity to see some reptiles (if you are very lucky!).