A weekend in the South Downs, primarily dedicated to hunting down the incredibly rare Turtle Dove.
On the Friday, I rode to the Pulborough area to stay in a nice self-catering annex in a secluded spot close to the Pulborough Brooks RSPB Reserve. On that first evening, I walked to the heathland area of the reserve and had a fabulous Nightjar encounter all to myself.
On the Saturday, in excellent weather, I visited the Woods Mill Nature Reserve in the morning, and after a lunch break at Henfield, spent the afternoon and early evening in the Knepp Wildlands, where after a lot of wandering about and effort, I eventually got the Turtle Dove sightings I wanted at 5.50pm as well as hearing their soft purring call. I think I saw two individuals. It was a big reward for my exertions.
Also, at Pulborough, Woods Mill and Knepp, the Nightingales could be heard calling from within thick cover, Cuckoos were calling aplenty inside Knepp, and lots of Warblers could be heard throughout the day; mainly Chiff Chaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat and at Knepp, the occasional Lesser Whitethroat, plus some noisy Reed Warblers at Woods Mill.
A good weekend, with decent motorcycling through the roads of the South Downs.