Learn birdsong in 2024

Make the dawn chorus a bigger part of your year

Happy New Year’s Eve.

Whatever else 2024 may bring, the birds will sing; and if you would like to join me in listening to them, here are the ways:

• Birdsong Essentials, the 10-week course

• Stanmer Park walkshops

• Shriek of the Week emails

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Birdsong Essentials, the 10-week course

Back for its 4th year, the course begins again on 24th February.

In the ten weeks leading up to the peak of the dawn chorus, you will form your bird-listening habit, learn how you can tell apart more than 25 species of resident and summer-visiting birds, and deepen your appreciation of the season’s changes.

The course features audio lessons, group calls & chat, expert support throughout and access to further exclusive identification resources after the course ends. It’s suitable for those who know a bit or not very much at all about UK birds and birdsong.

Places are limited and early booking is advised. Find out more on the Birdsong Academy website.

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Stanmer Park walkshops

Walkshops are again booking for March and April at Stanmer Park, Brighton.

In these half-day events you can immerse yourself in live birdsong as part of a convivial group, and ‘tune your ear’ early in the spring.

Coming soon: dates for walkshops in London and at a new East Sussex location.

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Shriek of the Week emails

Emails from Shriek of the Week are now weekly again for the new year, and feature a different bird sound every Friday, January to June. These offer an introduction to common songs and calls, timed with the stages of the spring that you’re likely hear them.

The standard emails are free. If you want a little extra, you can get narrated versions of each post, access to the full archive, and invitations to the monthly ‘Early Bird Club’ call, by signing up for the enhanced subscription. You can also give it as a gift to a bird-lover in your life.

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Dawn choruses on Zoom

Back for the 5th year, our free monthly Zoom calls follow the dawn chorus through spring. Join me and others as we share live sounds from wherever we are. Free, and open to all, from March.

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It’s a Waxwing winter

There are more Waxwings in the UK this winter than for many years. They rarely reach as far south as Sussex, but this year there are flocks to be found across England, often in rather ordinary (but berry-laden) places.

Listen out for their distinctive trilling to boost your chances of finding your very own.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate it. Wishing you a happy new year.
~ Charlie