Experience the dawn chorus in Sussex
A unique early morning fireside with Swedish treats - April 12 and May 10
Sometimes I’m tempted to portray myself as a wholesome Springwatch-presenter type of person, forever sleeping in a hedge with notebook in hand, ready for a shrew to run over my face.
I just can’t do it. I like my bed, and at least two cups of tea before I open the front door.
There’s a time in the year, however, when the motivation to be up early wins out.
If you’d like to join me, here are a couple of ways.
Gökotta experiences in East Sussex
Gökotta is a Swedish word for the act of rising early and going outside into nature. Super wholesome.
For two mornings this spring, we will try a little gökotta, Sussex-style, by gathering at The Secret Campsite near Lewes.
We’ll listen for warblers, owls, woodpeckers and nightingales. To sweeten the deal there will be authentic Swedish fika refreshments and a fire to warm our hands and ears.
There’s the option to camp the night beforehand too (and a reduced entry fee for those doing so, or sharing a lift to the site)
Just five tickets left for the event on 12 April.
Up With The Birds
Our ‘crowdsourced dawn chorus’ is back for the spring.
It’s a virtual gathering on Zoom, to listen to the birdsong we have around us, wherever we find ourselves.
Since beginning in the first lockdown of 2020 we've listened together to birds in Cornwall, Karachi, Herefordshire, Cape Town, Glasgow, Dublin, Cologne and many places in between.
We’re next Up With the Birds on Sunday 7 April. All welcome.
Not early in morning:
Free talk: The Birds of Alnmouth with Tom Cadwallender, 23 April
I love hearing from people who know their part of the world and its wildlife so very well.
Tom Cadwallender is a skilled and enthusiastic birder, who brings to life the bird stories of his local patch of Alnmouth in Nothrumberland, a place he’s watched closely for 35 years.
Tom has kindly agreed to give us an hour to bring his patch alive, with pictures of the many birds he has seen at Alnmouth and stories about his adventures there.
It’s free, just sign up to access the link.
If you know someone who might be interested in these kinds of offerings, please feel free to pass this along. And if you have any questions let me know in the comments here or by emailing charlie@birdsong.academy.
~ Charlie
p.s. the beginning of April is a good time to remember that all gulls are seagulls.
