A Night With A Nightingale

In spring 2021, join your host Sam Lee in the beautiful Sussex countryside.

Listen to the wondrous evening chorus of birdsong, dine by the fireside (food & drinks provided), and then as darkness falls, step silently into the woods to find that rare bird with its unmistakable nightsong.

Each year, for a short period mid-April, a few thousand nightingales fly to southern UK from Africa. They can be heard in just a small number of special locations, taking up songful residence after dusk. The territorial males serenade loyally each night for no more than six weeks among the blackthorn and forest margins, giving unbelievable privilege to those who know where to go.

Your ticket gives you:

An early-evening guided nature walk, where you’ll learn about the local habitat and wildlife
A delicious vegan dinner and drinks provided beside the campfire with Sam Lee, your nightingale expert
A late-night trek into the woods to find the nightingale and listen to his extraordinary song

On-site camping options are available – please see ticketing for more information.

This event is not the same as our Singing With Nightingales evenings, which feature live performances by Sam Lee and guest musicians, including a duet with the birds themselves. For more information on those events please click here.

In this modern age, with biodiversity in decline and habitats being eroded, the Nightingale has become representative of all that we have to lose. The nightingale is a small, brown, unremarkable looking bird, but it possesses one of nature’s finest singing voices. The bird winters in Africa but spends April to July mating and nesting in Europe and the Middle East. Worldwide, the population is healthy but the numbers visiting England have declined so sharply that it is now on the UK’s Red List of species of the greatest conservation concern.

One of the most memorable features of the nightingale’s song is its rich variety – taking in mellow tones, flute-like sequences and a wide array of chatters, rattles and whistles. A typical singer may use 180 different riffs while a truly accomplished performer may incorporate around 250.

This event will be following all the latest Covid-19 guidelines. We will all ticket holders with more information on what to expect.

Venue Information

Sussex

Secret location near Lewes, Sussex. Exact location and directions will be sent to ticket holders.

Special Instructions

This beautiful location in the East Sussex countryside has a thriving population of Nightingales who make this their springtime home. The farm and its associated meadows and coppiced woodlands are a pristine wildlife environment.

Its closeness to Lewes and fast train direct from London to the nearest station of Cooksbridge make this a wonderful site which has allowed us many hours of deep listening and memorable times round the fire. Due to sensitivity with the small population of birds and being that this is private land and not public forest we must keep the exact location secret until your ticket has been purchased and instructions are ready to be sent out.

Upcoming Events

A Night With A Nightingale

A Night With A Nightingale

A Night With A Nightingale

3rd May 2021 • Secret Location, Sussex