dawn chorus

Image from the Dawn Chorus animation by Suky Best

We're lucky here in the Peak District.  When we wake at dawn the birdsong outside the window is overwhelming.  It wasn't always the case; when we moved to Derbyshire we saw hardly any garden birds at all.  Since we've started putting out food regularly the variety of birdlife has grown so that we now have greenfinches, goldfinches, sparrows, tits, blackbirds and wrens (not to mention the crows and magpies that lurk in the field behind us and swoop in for an extra snack).  We now see it as a duty to feed all those mouths as we've been the direct cause of the increase in the local bird population.  If we stopped feeding now the local birds would suffer, and that doesn't bear thinking about.  That's one of the reasons it's important to feed regularly and all year round.  The RSPB has some useful guidelines.

The dawn chorus is a special event, even though it happens daily.  I just stumbled across a lovely animation by Suky Best that captures what is important to those of us who love the sound of birdsong.  Do go and have a look - it's a little oasis of calm in a busy day.