The early dawn chorus

IF you wake up at 05:10 (as I did this morning) then, even though it is still dark, the birds have already started to sing their dawn chorus.  Well, I say birds, but in fact only the blackbirds were proclaiming their territories today.

The blackbird's song is one of the finest that we can hear in this country, with its clear, strident notes tailing off at the end of each phrase.  I tried to listen to see if phrases were repeated, but sleep got the better of me.

To hear the song go to: RSPB's blackbird song

At this time of year only our resident birds are singing in the countryside and gardens, so now is a good time to start to learn to distinguish one from another if you are new to this game.

I was at home today and was surprised to notice a female blackbird collecting grubs in the neighbours garden - this means that there must be nestlings already.  At the top of this page is a photo I took last summer of a male with insects ready to feed to his nestlings.

For a little bit more about birdsong visit: www.whentowatchwildlife.org

The cherry blossom in our garden is wonderful - there is an amazing buzz and hum as honeybees enjoy this early source of nectar.  With the flowers and insects come the birds, looking for food - such as this blue tit:

P.S. You can also hear blackbirds sing in the evening!