Set your alarms and celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day with us this Sunday.
Each year on the first Sunday of May, people across the world wake up early to hear the magical sound of birdsong. This year’s event takes place on the 3rd May.
Malvern Hills Trust, who own and care for the Malvern Hills and Commons, celebrate Dawn Chorus Day each year by leading a guided bird walk on the Malvern Hills. However, due to the outbreak of coronavirus, this year’s event has been cancelled so the Trust are encouraging people to join in at home.
Beck Baker, Community and conservation officer said, “We’re really disappointed that we have had to cancel this year’s Dawn Chorus Walk which is one of the most popular events in our calendar.
“However, the great thing about the dawn chorus is that you can hear it from anywhere so we’re encouraging people to get up early and listen from their own homes.”
The dawn chorus begins about an hour before sunrise, at around 4:30am when the birds start their song, and they often continue singing until around 7am.
The Trust are asking people around the Malvern Hills to step outside into their garden, onto their balcony, or simply open their windows and listen to the natural world this Sunday.
Beck added “This is a fantastic way to reconnect with nature, so set your alarm for 4:30am and have a listen to the wonderful chorus. It’s simple to do and if you find getting up this early a bit difficult you can even do it from your bed with the window open!
“During these difficult circumstances, spending time in nature can be calming and lift our mood so we’d like people to take a moment to listen to the beauty of the natural world.”
Share your Dawn Chorus experiences on Facebook and twitter.
For those wishing to find out more about their local birds, RSPB have a huge range of information with recordings of commons birds to help you identify your feathered neighbours.
International Dawn Chorus Day began in 1984 when a wildlife enthusiast Chris Baines invited people over to hear the dawn chorus for his birthday at Moseley Bog, Birmingham. The day is now celebrated across the world including Antarctica and the Americas.
The Trust’s events programme has currently been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak but they hope to start leading their popular walks and talks later in the year.
