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International Dawn Chorus Day – Sunday 3rd May 2020

  • Date: 30/04/2020
  • Category: General

This Sunday (3rd May) is International Dawn Chorus Day, an international celebration of birds and bird song.

In the UK our dawn choruses are justifiably famous for the variety, depth and layers of bird song and are a beautiful thing to spend time listening too (at least once or twice during the Spring).

Whilst for us bird song is simply a treat for the ears for the birds themselves it’s a serious business and the males expend a lot of energy producing their song for extended periods as a way of establishing and holding a territory against others of the same species. This will be done throughout the Spring even when they have chicks to feed!

Where you live in the UK and what type of habitat you live close to will affect the bird song you hear – those living near the hills and moors of in the north and the west may be treated to the bubbling song of the Curlew or the iconic call of the Cuckoo, whilst those living near the coast may be lucky enough to hear the hustle and bustle of a sea bird colony.

For most of us though it will be the back garden, the local park, a patch of woodland or the farmland that borders our homes where we hear our dawn choruses and, whilst the cast of the choir might not be as exotic as elsewhere, the sound they produce is just as breathtaking – we just need to make time to stop, listen and appreciate it.

Blackbird – One of the great songsters and one most of us will hear regularly (Wikimedia commons 25 April 2018 Author Ruben van Kuik, Netherlands)

The end of April and the first half of May really is the best time for birdsong with our resident birds (still singing their hearts out) joined by a host of warblers and other species fresh in after spending the winter in Africa, so why not give it a go this Sunday?

Set the alarm for 4.30am (I know, but it will be worth it and the hours before and after first light are the best for the chorus), take a flask, wrap up warm and get outside – it’s as easy as that!

Oh and let us know on Twitter (@ToursNatural) or Facebook what you heard and what your favourite avian songster is.

 


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What Our Visitors Say ...

"I had a half-day walk with Antony, hoping to see a Ring Ouzel, and to see Waders in their nesting habitat. I achieved both of these, and saw several other good birds as well, including an owl and several Pied Flycatchers (another first for me). Anthony was not only very knowledgeable but also good company, and I would recommend his walks for anyone who enjoys wildlife but would benefit from some local expertise."
Tim Bucknall - Dorset.
"Antony's guided tour began in Hartington, and included an upland area, Biggin Dale and Wolfscote Dale. This gave us experience of a great variety of habitats, and a chance to see lots of birds, including ravens, rooks, jackdaws, a peregrine falcon, wheatears and stonechats, dippers and wagtails and chiffchaffs. The weather was variable, but Antony made the whole tour really entertaining and informative. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of nature, and birds in particular. Just as important, he is a very friendly and approachable guide, always willing to engage in discussion on any aspect of the area. We felt that, in addition to having a most interesting walk, we came away with really useful advice about how to observe birds on our future walks. The weather improved as we walked along the River Dove, and we were treated to some very special moments of bird observation, aided by Antony's telescope and tripod. We would highly recommend Antony to anyone keen to learn more about local wildlife as part of a most enjoyable walk in Derbyshire."
D & C Longson - Derbyshire.
"My mum and I had a fantastic bespoke walk with Antony around the Brassington area and Rose End Meadows in Cromford. Beautiful scenery, glorious sunshine and a wealth of interesting facts about the flowers, birds, insects and butterflies we met along the way. We had a truly magical time watching a Silver-washed Fritillary dancing and gliding around right in front of us for fifteen minutes. The walk was a birthday present for my mum and Antony took the time to find out what her specific interests and level of knowledge were in advance so that he could plan the route accordingly. He even sent us more information afterwards to confirm a couple of butterfly and dragonfly IDs. Antony really knows his stuff and his enthusiasm is infectious. He also has an unbelievable eye and ear for tiny creatures, plants and sounds that would have passed me by completely. A relaxing, hugely informative and very enjoyable day all round. Many thanks again, Antony!"
L Breakwell - Nottingham.
"Thank you ever so much for the Dawn Chorus experience last Saturday. Even though the weather was terrible we really enjoyed it. We all said would do it again regardless of the weather."
J Tagg - Derbyshire.
"Thoroughly enjoyed two fantastic nature walks with Antony in September 2020. Loved our walk on the Eastern Moors spotting moorland birds and lots and lots of red deer, just starting their rut. Our second walk was an early morning exploration of the very different habitat of the Derwent river and Cromford Canal. Spent ages watching a beautiful pair of dippers dabbling in the river, a streaking Kingfisher and tons of little Grebe diving in the clear water. Antony was an absolutely brilliant guide. He has amazing knowledge about every single species of bird, mammal and lots of plants across the Peak District and knows exactly where to find them. He has such a friendly and welcoming manner that you never feel you're not 'expert' enough and he patiently answers every question. I would thoroughly recommend a nature walk with Antony to get to know the Peak District through the eyes of a wildlife fan! Very best wishes and see you next spring!"
N Marshall - London.
"Antony was not only very knowledgeable about swifts but also provided valuable information to participants on the walks regarding support for the various swift habitats in their neighbourhood. Highly recommended."
D Howson - Derby.
"A great evening watching swifts, and learning about other local wildlife. The leader was very friendly and knowledgeable. He gave us lots of interesting information about swifts, and how we could help with their conservation. There was plenty of time to ask questions, and the walk was taken at a leisurely pace to enable everyone to keep up and get involved. A lovely evening stroll that everyone seemed to enjoy!"
H Naylor - Derbyshire.

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