If you are a bird lover you are going to need an early night this weekend to join in with the celebrations of nature’s greatest symphony. International Dawn Chorus Day takes place on Sunday May 5 for half an hour before and after sunrise (about 4.45am).
In North East Lincolnshire, we celebrate the Humber Estuary as a unique and diverse habitat for thousands of stunning wetland birds. In 1988, when its importance was recognised, the area was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which is protected under European law. This includes Special Protection Area (SPA) status, as well being a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) and European Marine Site.
It is also recognised by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a wetland of international importance, and we encourage residents and visitors to respect and help protect the birds and wildlife that frequent it, all year round.
This weekend, however, gives us the chance to celebrate all birds, especially those which sing outside our bedroom windows and frequent our gardens and parks. The birds that chirp are mostly male as it is one way for them to mark their territory or try to attract a mate.
Birds such as the Song Thrush are known to have the most confident voice and are the earliest to start singing. The Blackbird instead is known for its low-pitched voice, the Robin, for its clear and beautiful songs, and the Blackcap is known to start its songs as a chattering warble before breaking into louder and clearer notes.
International Dawn Chorus Day began as a small event more than 40 years ago and is now celebrated in 80 countries worldwide. You don’t need an outside area to join in with this event. Just throw open your windows and enjoy, or visit one of our many North East Lincolnshire parks.
If you are a novice and want to know more about how to identify birdsong, go to The Wildlife Trust website and check out the calls of the many birds that we have the opportunity to listen to almost every day at this time of year. You can also visit Bird songs and bird calls – the sounds of 261 UK bird species. (british-birdsongs.uk)
Take a walk along the wonderful Cleethorpes coastline later where you can see our fabulous wading birds, but please help to respect and protect them by following these simple steps:
- Keep to the designated footpaths
- Keep dogs under control
- Anyone using the coastline for water sports must stay away from the salt marsh and sand banks.
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