Ken White has been busy recording bird song this spring. Below are a small selection from Ken’s recordings (he retains the copyright) made at Plastow Green, on the southern side of the Enborne valley on the Hampshire – Berkshire border. It is an area of intensive arable farming in fields with good hedgerows, together with a little livestock (beef and sheep). There are a scattering of small copses and occasional large gardens. Ken has provided a list to accompany each recording and he has added a letter after each species name, with S for song, C for contact calls and A for alarm calls. The highlighted species feature prominently in each file.
The first recording, made on 19 April, features Lesser Whitethroat/S (chatter & rattles)–Chiffchaff/S–Pheasant/S–Blackbird/S–Rook/C–Robin/S.
The second recording, made on 23 April, features Cuckoo/S–Robin/S–Goldcrest/S–Great Tit/S–Song Thrush/S–Chaffinch/A–Blackbird/S.
The third recording, made on 24 April, includes the star of the show – a rare passing Hoopoe. Its full list is Woodpigeon/S—Hoopoe/S–Skylark/S–Blackbird/S–Carrion Crow/C–House Sparrow/C–Robin/S–Song Thrush/S.