Birdwatch

Swallows, sand martins and the odd house martin are now being seen quite frequently.

Many of the resident birds, such as blackbirds and long-tailed tits, are busy nest building or even feeding young and the first mallard ducklings have been seen on the brooks.

Our most famous migrant bird, the nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos, has yet to appear on the reserve.

As they are usually so skulking and difficult to see, the first we know of the nightingale's arrival is a blast of that extraordinary song coming from a patch of brambles.

Late April and early May is the prime time to hear them singing. By the end of May, as chick-rearing duties will have take over from singing, they sing far less frequently. It is a myth that they only sing at night '“ they do sing at night but they often sing most of the day too.

This year we are running four evenings of walks to hear nightingales, from May 8 to 11, from 6.30pm until 9pm. No booking required, just turn up at Pulborough Brooks and we will be there to introduce you to this legendary songster.

Two rather late winter birds that have been on the reserve this week have been a hen harrier and a great grey shrike. The shrike was here just briefly '“ most likely using the site as a stop-off on its journey north. But the hen harrier has been hunting over the reserve frequently.