Who would get your vote for our most valiant bird?  Surely the nightjar must be one of the strongest contenders.  Just now nightjars are preparing to face the huge challenge of flying all the way from Africa to the UK passing many hazards on the way, not least crossing the Sahara.  Many will be heading for our neck of the woods – or more correctly for our local heathlands. Soon these amazing birds will have returned to their familiar heaths all round south-east Dorset. So an evening stroll on the heath may soon be rewarded by a  glimpse of this special bird skimming over the heather, but more likely you will  hear one ‘churring’, or even be treated to the ‘whick-whick’ call and the ‘wing clapping’ - most evident when territories are being defined.

But during the day nightjars are  nesting on the ground, well camouflaged in the heathy vegetation. In this vulnerable position they again need to be truly valiant, protecting their precious eggs and chicks from predators. But if they should be frightened off their nests by our own feet, or our naturally inquisitive dogs, straying from the main paths, it only takes a moment for a sharp eyed magpie to get in there for an easy meal. All that valiant effort so sadly brought to naught. So do, do, remember to help these valiant birds, and all our other precious heathland wildlife by always keeping to the well used paths and making sure that your dog does the same.