5 am today...

[kitty]

cuckoo cuckoo!!!
REALLY LOUD!!!!!!!!!
for half an hour-outside our bedroom window-i mean JUST outside our bedroom window!!!
it was lovely to hear-but-a little later maybe?
tomorrow?say...7 ish?please?
yaaaaaaaawn!
i have only heard a cuckoo in the distance and i havent heard one for many years so i think i should count me blessings!it was nice really.....

[Marianne]

The cuckoo must be the only bird I do not like to hear ..... because it lays its eggs in other birds' nests, sometimes these being much smaller than his own offspring ! 

The foster parents having to feed the said foster bird which then in turn kicks its sibblings out of the nest.  It happens all the time !  But it's nature and no-one can do anything about it !  Shame ...

[Robert_Brenchley]

I once set up a tent under a wall on the Isle of Arran, thinking it would keep the wind off. There was a tree overhanging the spot; little did I know that a cuckoo called every morning, for a couple of hours or so, beginning at 5am. After a week I was pretty well cuckoo myself!

[RobinOfTheHood]

5 am yesterday I was walking in a winter wonderland. It was white over in the fields, felt more like January than May, how long can this cool snap last, I wonder?

[Robert_Brenchley]

whereabouts are you? We've had a couple of slight frosts this week in Birmingham, but that's all. Just enough to frost the spuds and the regale lilies.

[Marianne]

We have had a little frost in the morning but it soon disappears - Of course all the little seedlings are in the mini greenhouse and safe and sound..

[RobinOfTheHood]

I'm in South Yorks.

It wasn't really a hard frost but it's not what I expected to see in May...I was a bit nervous for my toms in the greenhouse but they appear OK.

Must have hardened 'em a little....

[kitty]

it came down to lincolnshire too-really pretty-butlike you say-a bit worrying!

i've just prepared and sown my peas-all the time accompanied by that cuckoo-does he never stop-i think he was tuning up for first light tomorrow!
deep joy-another early start!
kitty

[Roy Bham UK]

cheer up lads and lass's my OH tells me the long range weather forecasters say we are in for a long hot summer (pinch of salt springs to mind)

[Carol]

I was up at 4.30 this morning, feeling yuck and was outside.  What a wonderful time of day to go outside.  I couldnt hear the birds, but the Jackdaws were about.  It was so still, no wind or even traffic noise.  The frost was on the grass but then it was forecast.  Think I will set my alarm one morning soon at that time and go listen to the Dawn Chorus in the nearby Woods.  I am sure organised Dawn Chorus is taking place  all over the country, must be wonderful.

[maz]

I was up at 4.30 this morning, feeling yuck and was outside. 

Self inflicted Carol? If so I have nooooo sympathy      If not, then hope you are a bit better by now. 

I was watching the great tits at 5.30 yesterday morning. They were in and out of the nesting box with brekkie. Its a wonderful time of day. 

Then everyone gets up.    

[Yellow Petals]

I was watching the great tits at 5.30 yesterday morning. They were in and out of the nesting box with brekkie. Its a wonderful time of day. 

Ahem.....<taps fingers> and where are the pictures if you please?? 

[Yellow Petals]

I was up at 4.30 this morning, feeling yuck and was outside.  What a wonderful time of day to go outside.  I couldnt hear the birds, but the Jackdaws were about.  It was so still, no wind or even traffic noise.  The frost was on the grass but then it was forecast.  Think I will set my alarm one morning soon at that time and go listen to the Dawn Chorus in the nearby Woods.  I am sure organised Dawn Chorus is taking place  all over the country, must be wonderful.

Hi Carol,

I couldn't sleep the night before last and was up at 4.30am.  I too heard the most wonderful dawn chorus - possibly the loudest and busiest one I've ever heard.  As you say, everything else is so deathly quiet, it's beautiful to just hear the birds singing their little clackers out! 

[Carol]

 

Oh dear, I started a trend of waking up at 4.30 a.m.  cos, I was up an about at that time this morning again.  This cannot go on, dawn chorus or not.  But, isn't it wonderful at that time of day YP. 

[maz]

 Â  Oooo that yellow petals is a hard one to please isnt she?

5.30 in the morning and Im supposed to be able to focus a camera on bird box.    Get real girl, I only just about found the kettle. 

[kitty]

 

[DolphinGarden]

Hiya Carol,

cultural info.  There was a big deal in Ireland here last weekend. There is a well known radio show here which did a 6 hour live, live show of the Dawn Chorus last Saturday night from midnight.  The radio show, which is nature based, is broadcast on Saturday mornings, on mw 567, lw 252 and on the internet (obviously).  The link is

www.rte.ie/mooneygoeswild   

and I would heartily recommend it.  I was sorely tempted to advertise it on here in advance...(surely everyone can hear a dawn chorus if they bothered) but, I seldom come on the Wildlife forum.  If you want to pm me, and I can get a copy of the advertised cd burned I can help you out.

yeah, just double checked the link. you can download the "essential" 1hr 9mins if you wish.

Failing that, tune in every Saturday. It's brill.

It's funny, I heard the "teacher,teacher,teacher" type call in my garden during the week and for the life of me I can't remember what the bird is.

Anyway try it and see tomorrow (or in 8hrs time...sheeesh time to go to bed methinks)

goodnight

Ciaran

[Robert_Brenchley]

teacher, teacher (I wish my lot were as polite!) is likely to be either a great tit or a chiffchaff. The answer is to look for the bird!

[maz]

Dolphin have a look here. Its got bird sounds on it.

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/bluetit.htm

[DolphinGarden]

Maz, thanks will have a look now in a minute.

Robert, it was in a tree so couldn't make it out.

Thank you both..

Ciaran