The Song Thrush

We are still in the first half of February and the birdsong in Bicknor Wood has already begun to pick up. With the dull, dark days of December and January behind us, the woods are starting to awaken with the lengthening of the day. I was out playing 'til gone 5pm yesterday!

The short-phrased, scratchy song of the robin has been with us through the bleak mid-winter and the alarms and contact calls of Blue Tits and blackbirds have kept us alert to the sounds of the birds. But now a few more species are joining the chorus; listen for the "ticha, ticha" call of the Great Tit announcing his rising excitement. The strident rattle and trill of the Eurasian Wren tells us that he is somewhere in the lower growth.

A Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos has been tuning up recently and can be heard throughout the wood. He has been practicing in the dead tree clearing and in other sunny bramble patches. His voice is sometimes sharp and clear and other times coarse and mechanical. It is recognisable, not by its content or timbre, but by its variety and immediate repetition. Listen carefully and you will notice that it uses many of its varied, short phrases twice, thrice and even 4 times.

The songster in this example gives a wide range of vocalisations and the addition of the sonogram vividly shows the consistency of the repetition. If you are in the wood and the Song Thrush is singing, you will hear him quite easily. His song carries well and a walk around the loop will certainly put you within earshot.

In the absence of a Song Thrush photo, here is a gratuitous shot of another robin. Please send Song Thrush pictures if you have one.

So finally, I managed to get a picture, but was it the one that has been singing? This bird was seen amongst the visiting thrushes which came in from Scandinavia and the continent during the snows of February.