Ryebank Fields
INTERNATIONAL DAWN CHORUS DAY 4/5/2025
Ryan Woods + Rae Story
LISTEN HERE:
ALL OUR RYEBANK International Dawn Chorus Day RECORDINGS HERE
Dusk Chorus Audio in the Aspen Grove
Dusk Chorus Audio at the Nico Ditch
Dawn Chorus Audio at the Nico Ditch FULL RECORDING
Dawn Chorus Audio at the Nico Ditch SHORT CONDENSED RECORDING
Places are completely different at night.
And we ourselves are also completely different too.
Those who could, gathered at 3.45am,
In whispers, clutching folding chairs and rolled up blankets - ready for action
(of a quiet kind)
Attuning ourselves to sounds in the darkness we set off to the call of a lone singer in the trees above. At night, every noise is a potential threat, deep within our bones we know that we are vulnerable. We adjust our pace to keep together. Safety in a group of strangers.
We arrange ourselves in a circle, under a thicket of trees, curling up, laying down, in asanas and perched on chairs. Equipment set and we waited...
The Song Thrush began over in the Aspen Grove, then Blackbirds and Robins, our attention widened as we took in the directions.
Gradually the birds around us began their songs, the determined Wren and the slow-to-get-started Wood Pigeons. At a certain point the calls receded and we set off on our dawn walk. As we left the thicket a Chiff Chaff started its memorable call, and as we walked out into the light and across the meadows into the oak copse the Blue Tits and Great Tits joined in together. The Aspen Grove alive with bird song, all that we have mentioned plus Magpies and Blackcaps.
Emerging from the limbs of the Aspen we went on to the Faery Tree for a sunrise of pink coral streaks and electric clouds. Ryan's vegan dandelion biscuits dunked into tea as the magpies encircled us, stunned by what we had just experienced together.
The miracle of daybreak.
Of making it through another night, and all being alive, together
Spectographs of bird calls in order of appearance left to right: Blackbird, Robin, Wood Pigeon and Wren LISTEN TO INDIVIDUAL BIRD CALLS HERE
Bird species analysis of recording made overnight including dusk and dawn chorus in the Aspen Grove 3-4the May 2025 using Chirpity
