Birdsong

Last night it rained like it was going out of fashion, which it most certainly is not. In terms of repetitive ubiquity, the daily neutral, rain right now is most certainly the new black.

This morning we were gifted light, the kind that streams through your window and illuminates the grasses and has you running out of the door to bathe in it like you've never seen blue sky or sun before in your life. I'm immensely grateful to the rain for clearing the way.

The birds are quite obviously happy about this spontaneous burst of unadulterated solar power too – and quite possibly a reprieve from endlessly wet plumage – providing a joyful soundtrack of chirping and cheeping and undulating melodies from their skyward perches, rallying each other on.

Shorter, simpler vocalisations are generally used to communicate with other members of the flock and raise alarms; longer, more complex 'songs' are associated with territory, courtship and mating. Which sound belongs to which bird i'm less sure about but am going to try and teach the kids the main ones this weekend.

My last book (along with bird experts Paul Sterry, Dominic Couzens and Christoper Perrins) The Collins Garden Birdwatchers Bible includes useful descriptions of bird calls and songs in the ID section at the front (still amazed we pulled this off during lockdown) plus the RSPB has a great online Bird Song Identifier (click here >). I've also got the iBird UK app on my phone which is even handier when you're out and about with a range of sounds as well as photos and info embedded into each entry.

The kids have even finished their lessons early so I'm going to try some sounds out with them now while I make lunch and then school and work is most definitely out for the weekend!!

PS Indeed it was the most glorious afternoon, a walk with a lovely lady and a chance meeting with another one. Three by three we ambled back at a distance. The sun shone and it felt so good, even normal for a moment. Never have I walked so slowly home.