Nature is all around us, arriving in a great rush to welcome in the spring.
So wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, make sure to make time to look and listen.
Many of our migrant birds are starting to arrive on our shores, and our native birds are gearing up for their nesting seasons.
Just by looking out of your window, you could see a swallow, swift or house martin, returning after their epic migration journeys from Africa.
Whether you have an eye for adventure, spend time in your garden watching the world go by, or have just found yourself wandering through a woodland listening to the rising chorus, here are Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s recommendations for enjoying the best of our birds this spring.
Dawn chorus
It’s the best time of year to experience the spectacular dawn chorus as spring is truly heralded in by a cacophony of bird song.
Starting around 4.30am, the dawn is welcomed by a growing symphony of voices.
It’s worth the early start to visit areas with trees, countryside fringes, nature reserves and parks. Take a flask outside and tune into our songbirds in fine voice.
They include newly arrived summer visitors like blackcaps and willow warblers, alongside the resident blackbirds and robins.
Many of our reserves are wonderful for birdsong throughout the day, however; Askham Bog right on the edge of York, North Cliffe Wood near Market Weighton, and Stoneycliffe and Hetchell Woods near Leeds are all amazing places to pause a while and listen.
Get closer and get to know different bird songs with Merlin ID; a fantastic free app which you can use to record song and get real-time identification of which bids are singing.
Try visiting a few different woodlands and tune into the variety for an amazing experience; but make sure you also just experience the sounds around you.
In your garden
For those with space for a birdfeeder or two, the birds will come to you!
Use an identification guide to observe which birds are regular visitors to your garden – and whether there are any surprises!
It’s also the beginning of nesting season, and you can help your garden birds by providing food and water, a nestbox or nesting material.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s website has lots of advice on how to make your garden wildlife-friendly – including how to build nestboxes for birds like swifts.
Want even wilder surroundings? Apply for a Wildlife Gardening Award!
Just over one year ago, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust launched a Wildlife Gardening Award to inspire people to do more for wildlife in their gardens.
Over the past year the Trust has received a wealth of wonderful applications spanning from care homes to community wild streets to allotments, and gardens that suit every size.
In fact, to date the Trust has awarded nearly 500 gardens – and we’re sure there are many, many more wildlife-friendly gardens out there. You can find out more at www.ywt.org.uk/WildlifeGardening-Award.
Finally - keep a record! Count the birds, note the insects and record the frogs in your garden in all of their croaking glory.
Staying in tune with wildlife is helpful when planning your garden, as well as understanding what changes have worked - often showing some lovely surprises!
Make a note in your diary and join in with our Great Yorkshire Creature Count from June 15 - 16.
Even half an hour can be long enough to spot something wonderful – and if you don’t know your dunnocks from your robins, don’t fret! Taking a photo and logging it on the free iNaturalist app means there are hundreds of wildlife lovers ready to identify it for you.
Amy Cooper is the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's communications officer.
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