It is 3am and I am already heading out in the dark to join an annual event, the 'Dawn Chorus' walk at Bookham Common.
With a few street lights glowing in the dark it is likely that I'll hear Blackbird and Robin on my journey BUT what other species might I hear before the dawn light appears? Possibly a Tawny Owl calling and maybe a Nightingale singing.
If you check back later on Sunday I will add a list of the species both heard and seen.
FAB.
UPDATE:
The walk commenced under a windless, clear, star spangled sky with the temperature hovering just above freezing point and didn't get much warmer over the ensuing three hours! Strangely the first species I heard was Canada Geese some 20 minutes before the walk started.
38 Species recorded by me in memory order. [H = Heard only; F/O = Fly over]
Canada Geese, Blackbird, Robin, Song Thrush, Wren, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Common Buzzard, Stock Dove, Carrion Crow, Pheasant [H], Bullfinch [H], Common Whitethroat[H], Herring Gull (F/O), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Coal Tit [H], Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Grey Heron (F/O and on nest), Cormorant (F/O), Jay, Kestrel, Nuthatch, Skylark [H], Sparrowhawk, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Ring-necked Parakeet, Jackdaw, Mistle Thrush.
The cold temperature definitely reduced the volume of the chorus that I have previously experienced at this location and this also probably accounted for several expected species failing to get on the list e.g. Tawny Owl, Treecreeper and Nightingale although one was heard by the leader a few days ago. I will endeavour to revisit on a much warmer day and compare the outcome. FAB.
