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Why there's never been a better time to start bird watching

The change of lifestyle enforced by Covid-19 is an opportunity to appreciate the wildlife that surrounds us - and it might just be what we need right now.

Whether we're on our daily walk, taking a breath of fresh air in the garden, or simply observing from a window, we can all get to know our wild neighbours. Even if you've never tried it before, this is the perfect time to begin.

How to identify birdsong

Chris Sperring on how to identify birds by their songs. (Image: Karen Arnold/Pixabay)

Spring has sprung

Naturalist Chris Packham is encouraging people to get closer to wildlife during this unprecedented time.

On ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Scotland's Mornings programme he discussed why he has set up for people to share their pictures of nature during the coronavirus pandemic.

He believes the change of pace has benefitted people who previously hung feeders and boxes but never got the time to see the birds they were helping to feed.

“Now as we are self-isolating people are able to enjoy birds close to home and they’re definitely finding some mental health benefits from it, too," he said.

The Springwatch presenter claims this is a perfect time of year to be looking outdoors.

"Spring has sprung, the birds are singing, they’re starting to breed, the wild flowers are pushing up through the lawn or your window box and as a consequence of that it’s a great time to engage with nature."

Know your neighbours

It’s a sentiment shared by conservationist Chris Sperring, who urges us all to get to know our local birds.

Speaking on Out of Doors he explained that spring is a good time to learn about them because fewer leaves make it easier to spot and identify birds as they perch on trees.

He said that if we get to know the songs now we can avoid complications when summer migration begins.

"That’s when you get the warblers in," he warned.

"Then you get some visual problems because you can have two warblers looking virtually the same except, for instance, the eye stripe might be a different colour, but their song is totally different."

As well as the benefits of it being springtime there will be less traffic noise around right now which should make it easier to hear individual birdsong.

So next time you can take a quiet moment listen carefully to connect with the wildlife which surrounds you.

Listen to the songs of common garden birds

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