Sunday 4 May was International Dawn Chorus Day. Images by Bell.
In Orkney the dawn chorus, especially if you live in the country, will wake anyone up who has left their bedroom window open in the early hours.
What species you hear depend on where you live with the tiny wren very vocal in many gardens. For birds, it’s a vital part of attracting a mate.
Birdsong has been shown to carry 20 times further at dawn, making all that effort to attract a mate much more worthwhile. – RSPB
The RSPB has produced some top tips for getting the most out of bird song.
- The dawn chorus can be heard in some form or another almost everywhere – from gardens, parks, hedges and woods to marshes and even mountain tops. If you want, just open your bedroom window, lie back and enjoy the songsters near you. But for the full effect, a wooded area or park with mature trees are great bets.
- Set your alarm clock. In the UK the dawn chorus is at its peak just before and just after sunrise, so ideally you would be sitting still with a cup of something warm around 5am. By around 6:30am it’s already peaked, but don’t worry, there are still plenty of birds singing then if you fancy a few more minutes in bed.
- Check the weather. Still, dry mornings are the best to hear the chorus in all its glory.
- Wrap up warm, even in May it can still be chilly before the sun rises.
- If it’s your first dawn chorus experience, just sit back and let the symphony of sound wash over you. It really is one of the UK’s great nature experiences.
- A walk with a guide is also a great idea to get the most from the experience – check out some of the events at RSPB reserves.
- If you’re not an early riser, many species also sing on an evening, as dusk falls. It’s not quite as spectacular as the morning chorus, but still well worth a listen.
