I awoke at around 6.15 this morning feeling happy and full of the day ahead. My thoughts were disturbed by the Dawn Chorus which was incredibly loud and to my ears very rich, varied and beautiful. I decided to get up and record the event. At this time of the year with birds breeding, they sing to re-establish their territories as soon as dawn breaks. The main performer and star of this show is a Blackbird, but listen out for the Dunnock and a Wood Pigeon. Remember we are in a very built up suburban area, but it sounds like the middle of a woodland scene. The audio is posted here on the side. Just click on the player and have a listen. If you are listening in the USA perhaps you may recognise the Blackbird’s song as it is very similar to your American Robin. These two species are in the same family……..Turdus….or the Old World Thrush. The Blackbird–Turdus merula and American Robin–Turdus migratorius. Activity was different at this time of the day. Lots of bird activity, I glimpsed the Hen Blackcap but she was too quick for a photo and gone before I could focus the camera on her. Pleased that she survived the nasty weather. A new and previously unseen Hen Blackbird was scouring the front lawn for moss for her nest. It has occurred to me that we have two pairs of Blackbirds, one in the back of the house and another in the front. The image today is a Blue tit with Sumac flower heads. The Tits seam to enjoy the berries from Sumac. They are not very nutritious however and it is a surprise to me that the Blue Tits like them so much. Again to explain for my USA readers. Our Tit species in Europe are closely related to your Chackadees. It is lost on me why when Europeans settled in the New World they decided that it was innapropriate to call birds tits and decided that Chickadee was more acceptable!
https://parrotletsuk.typepad.com/wldlife_in_a_suburban_gar/files/dawn_chorus_13308.mp3
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