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Our first Nightjar outing of the spring, Dawn, Celia, Penny and Tim enjoyed an hour or so down at the river.............

Leaving home at 8:30pm we stopped to collect Penny and her guest Tim at Casares before continuing down into the valley along the Secadero track. The sun had just dropped behind the hills as we arrived, light was fading slowly, especially for Celia the only non-birder in the group. It was a little too windy for nightjaring so I didn't expect great results.

At least half a dozen Little Ringed Plovers dashed about on the shingle banks along the river, Common Nightingales sang from the dense scrub and a Night Heron flew down river and landed briefly not too far from us.

Just at it got dark at least 3 Red-necked Nightjars started their monotonous calling, chi-chock, chi-chock.............

After a few minutes we located one perched high in a fir tree on a dead branch, but as it was so windy the bird sat uncomfortably and didn't stay long. Other sightings were of silhouetted birds hawking insects against a gorgeous orange sky, but they were only short views. Nevertheless we acheived our goal and the birders amongst us enjoyed the experience. No owl sightings were made on the return journey and not a single mammal scampered across the road in front of the car all the way back to Gaucin.