Flash Lane, Darley Moor, Matlock
22 and 25 May 2026
There are some wildlife encounters that stay with you long after the evening has faded, not just because of what you saw but because of the way the experience unfolded.
This was one of those.
What began as a slightly tired attempt to join a nightjar evening on Flash Lane, near Darley Moor, became, three days later, one of the most memorable wildlife spectacles of the year. Our first visit ended in near miss, with churring heard in the distance and a slightly reluctant retreat home. The second visit gave us close views of European Nightjars displaying, wing clapping, chasing, churring and flying directly overhead at close range.
Friday 22 May: The First Attempt
We started the evening at Beeley Triangle, hoping to make the most of the light before heading across to Flash Lane for the Chesterfield RSPB nightjar survey.
It was already a lovely evening. Before the main event, we recorded nine species, including curlew, meadow pipit, skylark, stonechat and willow warbler.
Two sightings stood out. The first was a willow warbler perched in a small tree directly in front of us. There is something quietly special about seeing a bird like that so clearly in spring, newly arrived and full of purpose. The second was a curlew on the nearby bank, its unmistakable shape and presence adding a wilder feel to the landscape.
Encouraged by this, we headed over to Flash Lane. Unfortunately, we arrived at the wrong end of the lane and had to backtrack to the car. By the time we found the Chesterfield RSPB group near the junction with Back Lane, the tiredness at the end of this half term week had started to catch up with my son. We heard the first churring calls and had a chance to catch up with a few familiar faces but in the end we made the reluctant decision to head home.
As it turned out, the group had an excellent evening.
Nightjars were reported churring from around 9:15pm, followed by at least one nightjar flying between 9:35pm and 9:50pm. At least one bird was seen in flight, and another perched in a birch tree right beside the track. A remarkable sighting, and one we had just missed.
Tuesday 25 May: The Return
Three days later, we went back.
This time we were more prepared. The heatwave forecast looked favourable, spirits were high and we arrived with field glasses, a torch, a flask and insect repellent. Just as importantly, we had a better sense of where to be and what to expect.
As we arrived, the sun was setting in the most beautiful light. We settled in and allowed our eyes to adjust as the evening slowly drained from the sky. Before the main nightjar activity began, we had what we believed was a woodcock flying overhead, followed by a curlew.
Then came that sound.
The first churring call of the evening.
It is hard to describe nightjar song without making it sound strange, because it is strange: mechanical, alien-like, rising and falling in the dusk. It does not sound like most birdsong. It feels as though it belongs to the twilight itself.
Soon after, we had our first brief glimpse of a nightjar in flight over the recent clearing.
We could hear churring from the higher, more established pine plantation but visibility in that direction was limited. Instead, we focused our attention on the recent clear felled area and the branches of the deciduous trees. That decision made the evening.
At around 9:40pm, everything changed.
The activity suddenly intensified. Nightjars began moving between the established pine plantation and the deciduous trees overlooking the clearing. They were incredibly close, at times so close it felt as though we could almost reach out and touch them.
The churring grew louder and more frequent as darkness deepened.
Then came more intense wing clapping and what appeared to be birds chasing each other through the dusk, accompanied by the sharp cracking sound of wing claps in flight.
This was not just a bird glimpsed briefly in poor light. This was breeding behaviour unfolding in front of us: males displaying, birds chasing, silhouettes cutting across the sky, white flashes showing on their wings.
We had clear views of birds perched in tall deciduous trees. At one point, we had a beautiful side on view of a perched nightjar, enough to properly appreciate its shape, posture and detail. We also began to notice patterns in their behaviour. They seemed to return repeatedly to the same branches on a couple of trees, and there was a patch of ground just out of sight behind an old log that they appeared to favour as well.
The most spectacular moment came when at least four birds chased each other just above our heads. First in front of us, then behind us, and finally directly overhead. They seemed almost oblivious to our presence. It was extraordinary.
For a few minutes, the clearing seemed alive with movement: churring, wing clapping, low flight, turns and birds passing repeatedly between the plantation and the trees on the far side of the track.
It felt like a privilege to be there.
The churring, the wing clapping, the chasing flights, the repeated returns to favourite perches; all of it combined into one of those evenings that will stay with us.
Our thanks go to Amanda and the Chesterfield RSPB group for organising the original field trip and for the encouragement to return. Without that first evening, even though we left early, we might not have gone back. And if we had not gone back, we would have missed something very special.