Leybourne. Country Park supports an important population of Nightingales (luscinia megarhynchos).The species has declined substantially across Britain and is now largely restricted to southern and eastern England.Kent remains one of its most important strongholds.Nightingales depend on dense scrub,brambles and unkempt areas with nearby open area for foraging,they also like to be near water.
SITE HISTORY - The Park,which opened in 2004,is part of an extensive former area of sand and gravel workings,which was excavated between 1946 and 1977.Much of the area is therefore `man made` with landscaping and planting having taken place as part of the restoration during the late 1970`s.
HABITAT approximate.
Lakes 60 percent,running water 5,reedbed 5,marsh/wetland 5.grassland 15,hedgerow 1,scrub 4 and trees/woodland 5.
HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Although scrub only occupies a small proportion of the habitat in the Park,its management is very important in the conservation of the species at Leybourne.New areas of hawthorn and Blackthorn have been planted for the future and old leggy areas of both have either been layered or cut to ground level to regenerate a thicker growth.None intentional habitat over the years has also been created by either wind blown fallen trees,or trees that have become dangerous,felled and left (nettles are also important factor of some territories).
My thanks to a dedicated team of rangers and to the many volunteers.
Nightingales in the New Hythe and Leybourne area have a long history.They became established at the latter end of the 1970`s,having spread from across the nearby river Medway from the former Reed`s Island Site.In 1980,I recorded three singing birds at Abbey Meads (east of the railway line and by 1991,the number had increased to ten.Five in the now Country Park and five east of the railway line.The count for 2016,was 25 in the Park and 5 east of the railway line.
Dots indicate singing males present in the Park in 2016 (25),with a further 5 east of the railway line.
CORE HABITAT AREAS - In the Park these have always been the areas known as the west scrub up to 4 pairs,east scrub up to 5 pairs and the Brook House area up to five pairs.I first recorded Nightingales using the east scrub and Brook House areas way back in 1991.The east scrub is mainly hawthorn and Blackthorn,the west scrub is more mixed with hawthorn,willow and dog wood and the Brook House area is mainly,willow,hawthorn and buddleia.I believe the poor soils especially in the Brook House area (buddleia) have helped to prolong the life of the habitat,Nightingales use there.
RINGING NIGHTINGALES IN THE PARK - Unlike my study of a population of Nightingales between 1979 and 1992,on Reeds Island Site (just across the Medway from the Park),where I could use a large amount of netting and the catching effort was largely uniform from year to year.This approach to ringing Nightingales in the Park has proved to be impossible due to its very public nature.Despite this I have gathered some interesting re-traps histories,had two controls and gained a good understanding of the types of habitats Nightingales use in the Park.
PARK NUMBERS (singing birds) 2003 (9) 2013 (22) 2015 (19) 2016 (25) 2020 (24) 2021 (23) 2022 (27) 2023 (32) 2024 (32-33) 2025 ( 26) 2026 (23)
EAST OF RAILWAY (Brookland/abbey Meads 2003 (9) 2013 (6) 2015 (4) 2016 (5) 2020 (4) 2021 (8) 2022 (11),which includes at least 3 along the railway bank. 2023 (13) which included 3 along the railway bank.2025 (11) 2026 (8) included (3) along the railway bank.
Eccles Old factory/Island Site 2023 (21) 2024 (22).Some areas are earmarked for housing.
Former Ham Hill Golf Course 2021 (5) 2023 (7) 2024 (7) 2026 (5) This area (2026) is now due to be partly developed for housing.(this area is very close to the Park`s western boundary).
Holborough marsh 2023 (6) 2024 (6), This site has also a long history of Nightingales.I recorded six singing birds in the 70s (Kent trust Reserve).The reserve is just over a mile away to the northeast.
BIRDS RINGED (in the Park) 1993 (3) 1994 (2) 1995 (1) 1996 (1) 1999 (4) 2000 (7) 2004 (1) 2006 (13) 2007 (3) 2008 (13) 2009 (7) 2010 (7) 2011 (3) 2012 (2) 2013 (6) 2014 (7) 2015 (4) 2016 (12) 2017 (4) 2018 (27) 2019 (20) 2020 (18) 2021 (9) 2022 (16) 2023 (17) 2024 (7) 2025 (17) 2026 (28)
The highest annual total was 28 in 2026,followed by 27 in 2018,20 in 2019 and 18 in 2020.The ringing totals should not however,be interpreted as direct population estimates.Because the Park is a public site the catching effort is not uniform from year to year.This means that a high number of birds ringed in one year can partly reflect a greater catching effort rather than a larger population.
The long-term increase shows a substantial increase compared to the early 2000s,The population reached its highest level in 2023-24 with 32-33 singing birds,before declining to 23 in 2026.The recent decline does not necessarily mean that the habitat management has failed.Nightingales population can fluctuate between years because of weather,breeding success,migration conditions,survival and changes in habitat quality.The ringing records provide additional evidence about survival and movements that cannot be obtained from singing bird counts alone.
Spring birds have been recorded returning to the Park as early as April 1st.Double numbers though are not usually recorded until the second week in April.However in some years the bulk return late,when poor weather over southern Europe holds them up.After breeding has finished adults have a full moult,while juveniles have a partial.Very few remain after the second week in August.I have only one September record and that is from my old ringing site on the former Reed`s Island site just across the Medway from the Park.This bird proved to be interesting due to the fact it had a prior migration weight of 34.8gm.(usual w.t. 18 - 23). Unlike most of the Blackcaps for instance that put on fat reserves in the Park before leaving,Nightingles weights vary little from their summer w,t. .
CONTROLS AND RE-TRAPPING
Re-traps are birds that have been ringed.released and later re caught at the same site.
Controls are birds caught by a ringer that has already been ringed from a completely different ringing site or from another country.
Re trapping individual birds is one of the most valuable parts of ringing.It shows that a particular bird has survived from one capture to the other.and can also demonstrate how faithful it is to its territory.It also shows that some birds will move territories within the Park after remaining faithful to a site for a number of years,a good example of this is T677063.He may have arrived late back on site and found another bird had taken his territory,or simply decided to move but still within the Park
Ringing also shows that the Park continues to support returning adults,juveniles and long lived birds that is e sensual for a healthy population.
CONTROLS - V376216 was ringed in the grounds of Kingsnorth Power Station,Kent,on the 23 04 2008 and controlled in the Park (west scrub) on the 26 04 2009.Although the bird was left unsexed on both occasions it was most likely to have been a female.Males will often sing after being released and females are less site faithful than males.
L563452 was ringed at Icklesham,Sussex as a young male (3) on the 10 09 2010 and controlled in the Park (Water Treatment entrance territory) on the 15 04 2014.It was then re-trapped there again in 2015 and 2016.Unfortunately the bird failed to return in 2017 (aged 6 years).When the bird was ringed at Icklesham,it had a weight of 24,1g and was probably preparing to leave for Africa via the south coast.
This bird possibly may have been a bird hatched at New Hythe.
RE-TRAPS - T677038 (5) male (hatched in 2007) was ringed in the east scrub on the 16 04 2008 and re-trapped there again in April 2009 and 2010.
X447480 (6) male (at least two years old) was ringed on the 26 04 2010 in the east scrub and re-trapped there again in 2014.
Y996138 (6) male was ringed on the 17 04 2013 in the Brook House area and re-trapped there again in 2014.
T677041 in 2008,when this (5) male was ringed on the 23 04 08,he was holding a territory in the west scrub.When I re-trapped him the following year he had moved into the east scrub (Pylon territory).I then re-trapped him again in the same territory in 2012,2013 and 2014 (aged 7 years).
Z8221102 (6) male ringed on 18 05 16 in the Brook House area - re trapped in the same area on 04 04 17 and 13 04 21
NF16723 3j (young bird ) all spotty plumage,ringed 09 07 18 - re trapped 17 07 18 all spotting gone,apart from one on its head (west scrub).
NF16741 (5) female ringed 01 08 18 west scrub - re trapped 23 04 19 west scrub.
Z821268 (5) male,ringed 14 04 17 east scrub re trapped 23 04 19 east scrub.
NF16716 3j young bird,ringed 20 06 18 west scrub - re trapped 11 05 19, west scrub,male.
TY99402 3J young bird,ringed 30 06 20 west scrub - re trapped 15 07 20,all spotting gone,apart from one on its head..
ARC9738 (3) young bird - ringed 01 08 19 west scrub - re trapped 15 04 21 west scrub,(6) male.
TY99420 (3) ringed 30 07 20 west scrub,re trapped 04 08 20,west scrub and 23 04 21,mill stream area west scrub (5) male.
ARC9916 adult male (6) - ringed 07 07 20 west scrub - re trapped 25 04 22,west scrub.
TY99417 young bird (3) - ringed 13 07 20,west scrub - re trapped 26 04 22 male (6),mill stream area,west scrub.
TY99475 young bird (3) ringed 01 08 22 west scrub - re-trapped east scrub (5 M) 05 07 23.
re trapped 6M on the 06 05 2025 East scrub.
PL84628 3JP ringed west scrub 01 07 2023 re trapped 23 04 24 (on left by wooden bridge up from water treatment car park.Where work was carried out to improve the territory in 2023.
Back on the same territory in April 2025.
TY99434 3JP ringed West scrub on the 04 08 2021 re trapped on the 21 04 2025 (Dipping pond pair).thought to be a female.
2024 Railway crossing territory bird (work carried out in 2023) part ring read in the field (either ringed in 2020/2021/2022/2023.
NF16731 (3jp) juv ringed at the conservation lake on 15 07 2018 re trapped there on 04 08 2018 and re trapped again in the East scrub near the pylon on 05 05 2025 (6M).
JF16335 (3JJ) ringed 18 06 2026 near children`s play area,re trapped on the 07 07 2026 near the pylon East scrub (moult complete) first wt 22.4 second 21.5.
JF16338 (3jj) ringed 21 06 2026 East scrub re trapped 08 07 2026 all body spotting gone.
Jf16337 (3jj) ringed East scrub 21 06 2026 re trapped 14 07 2026 still spotting on head and breast.
PL84697 (4) ringed East scrub 12 08 2025 re trapped (4 F) East scrub 05 08 2026 M complete.
AZK9875 ringed on the 25 04 2024 as a 4M (water treatment entrance,territory)
re trapped on the 21 04 205 in the same territory.Returned in 2026 (ring read in the field).
2026,the female was seen and she had a ring starting TY9,she was ringed in the East scrub during July 2022 as a 3jj.Both birds were seen feeding young,but the young were thought not to have made it to fledging as the male started singing again and feeding flights stopped.
T677063 (5) male (fledged in 2007),ringed on the 06 06 2008 in the east scrub.Five years later when I re-trapped the bird on the 17 04 2013,he was in the Brook House area,where he was re-trapped again in 2014 and 2015.In 2016,on hearing a bird singing in his territory on the early date of April 4th,I thought he had returned yet again.The following day I put up a net and caught the bird,but instead of it being T677063,it was a new male.At this stage although I was disappointed it was not T677063,I still had hopes that he would return as it was still early in the year.However some time later I was told of a ringed Nightingale singing about 400mtrs away in a part of the Park,I rarely visit,On May 4th,I put up a net and managed to catch the bird and much to my delight it was T677063.The bird was re-trapped there again on July 20th.aged 9 years,or 8 years,one month and 14 days from time of ringing.
On April 15th 2017,I heard a Nightingale singing in the same territory the above bird used in 2016.However a week later on looking at the bird through binoculars,I could see that it was not ringed.Although I have been trying to locate T677063 since that time,so far I have had no luck.
T677063 is now the oldest BTO ringed Nightingale.
Cool
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