International Dawn Chorus Day is the worldwide celebration of nature’s greatest symphony. All across the world people rise early to revel in the sweet sound of birdsong. This was my dawn chorus from my home this morning, which was just beautiful.
“The birds haven’t been louder this year, we’ve been quieter, and we’ve listened.
Nature has always been there.
It’s down to us to make sure we carry on listening.” – craig jones
This event always takes place on the first Sunday of May, which this years fell on Sunday 3rd of May. The best time to hear the whole symphony of birds is in the first hour after sunrise, which usually occurs between 5am and 5.30am. Singing at dawn appears to have several advantages for birds. The dim light means they are harder to spot by a predator. Sound can also carry further: as the air is often still at this time.
The first Dawn Chorus Day was organised by environmentalist and broadcaster Chris Baines in the 1980s when he held his birthday party 4am so that all of his guests could listen to the dawn chorus together. What began as a small annual event in the city of Birmingham has now spread right across the UK and is even celebrated in parts of Antarctica and the Caribbean.
It also seems louder this year due to the current coronavirus lockdown measures, meaning less people, traffic and general noise. The dawn chorus in spring is perhaps the greatest wild wonder our island can offer. It’s the time when the birds awake from their brief slumbers and fill the cold air with beautiful birdsongs.
Birdsong makes the world a better place; it helps us in our own lives, from our own mental health, to restoring tired minds. It makes us happier human beings. It’s free, it’s out there, all you have to do is reach out, many thanks.