Rare nocturnal nightjar has been found in a Derbyshire wood

Population has more than halved
August 2010: During the 20th century the bird suffered a dramatic decline, with numbers crashing by more than 50 per cent as its heathland habitat dwindled.

But now forest chiefs have confirmed that it has been detected in woodland at Cromford Moor, Cromford, near Matlock, making it only the second location in the county where nightjars are present.

CHURRING: The distinctive sound first alerted Albin Smith to the the nightjar's prescence

Famed for its churring mating call, the sound of a nightjar was once a familiar feature of English summer nights and it was that distinctive song that proved to be music to the ears of forester Albin Smith. He said: ‘We have a long term project at Cromford which has involved felling eight hectares of trees and nurturing new heathland.

‘A magical and fantastic boost to all our efforts'
‘Shetland sheep and cattle are helping us control regrowth and unwanted vegetation to speed the project. While tending the animals on a still balmy night I heard the call of a male nightjar. It was magical and a fantastic boost to all our efforts to expand habitats in the wood.'

Well camouflaged, the ground-nesting nightjar has long been a source of superstition due to its silent flight and supposed ability to steal milk from goats. That led to the less than flattering nickname of ‘goatsucker'. Males tend to return to the same area each year, although females are more foot loose.

They generally have only one brood, but in exceptional years they may manage a second, before returning south for the winter in late August or early September. Because of its rarity it is designated as red list species by the RSPB.