Spring is a time of great change, of significant transformation in the landscape. The pace starts off slow, with subtle signs here and there, available to the attentive nature watcher.
The return of migratory species from overwintering in warmer climes, combined with the mating season for birds kicking off in full, gives rise to a spectacular increase in birdsong in the woods and hedgerows in spring. At first it can seem like a cacophony, a chaotic mass of chirping. After listening for a little while, however, your brain begins to tune into particular songs, repeated refrains and identifiable sounds. If you spend a springtime weekend in the woods, you can not only take the opportunity to have an early night, to have a good sleep under your tarp, only to be awoken by the dawn light and the chorus of birdsong which accompanies it.
