Many people have commented that Lockdown is resulting in perfect, crystal clear skies and a tranquil, traffic-lite soundtrack to outdoor activities. So, is it just me imagining it or is nature also getting rowdier? I guess there have been plenty of photos of wildlife taking advantage of our restrictions, with various animals marching, en masse, through town centres etc. Perhaps, across the board, they are generally closer and braver than normal. For instance, I mentioned our invasion of ducks a couple of weeks ago.
Around Cambridge it’s certainly been easy to hear cuckoos this year, over a surprising long period in fact. Deer (muntjac) are barking all around us, almost continuously. (It can get a bit wearing.) They are at it even as I type. However, the subject of this post is a beautiful song thrush.
Their song really is the most wonderful liquid, flowing sound. If you are not sure what they sound like, you can hear an example of it on the RSPB page.
But actually the dominant noise we’ve been hearing, whenever we’ve been in the garden recently, is the tap, tap, bashing of snail shells against our paths and many ornamental rocks. When I walk around checking plants first thing in the morning there is a steady crunching underfoot of the empty shells. You’ve got to be careful going bare footed!
And the main reason for all this pest control and relentless activity is to feed their noisy offspring. Currently, I think that there are three babies in various locations around the patio. This one was in plain view.
I tried to catch the open-mouth plaintive cheep, but I only just caught the beginning.
Too cute, don’t you think?
I am linking to Tina’s monthly Wildlife meme spotlighting the local wildlife found in our gardens.
Indeed, it is a breather for the planet and its wildlife.
If it wasn’t such a sad and desperate situation for most humans, one would wish this could last.
Slainte,
Paz
Yes, I hate seeing those graphs and charts from the John Hopkins COVID-19 data. On the other hand the maps of levels of nitrogen dioxide plummeting are brilliant! Keep safe.
Lovely post. Your baby thrush is adorable
Thanks Liz!
Beautiful birds! I think thrush species are so pretty. Their colors are subtle and soft and their faces are beautiful. I like your description of the snails being prepared for meals–I could hear it without all the traffic noise. 🙂
They are beautiful and the song thrushes are particularly elegant and upright. I am always glad to hear that thwacking sound, as it means more of my seedlings make it to maturity!
I’ve never heard deer barking. What a strange sound! (And I thought fox calls were odd!) Gorgeous baby thrush! We’ve been getting two (different) broods of blue tits on our patio, as well as regularly-visiting hedgehogs (up to three of them). It’s quite lovely. I do think our lockdown is having a good effect on the wildlife. If only that side of things would go on.
Re. the muntjac. Yes, it is a very grating sound and relentless. Plus the gap between barks is just long enough that you think that it has stopped, but that is wishful thinking! See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQB0vO4aE6w, although it sounds like you’ve checked it out already. I am jealous of your hedgehogs. I’ve not seen one in years.
I hope to have a post on one of my other blogs about them, in due course. Not sure when yet.
Look forward to it!
Oh, gosh, that wee one is the epitome of cuteness! I wish I had some snail eaters in my garden. 🙂
Glad that the babies mean that there will be more of them. Don’t you have frogs with all that water near you?
We do have frogs, but I don’t think they eat snails nor slugs. They say toads eat slugs, but I haven’t seen them do so as they are nocturnal and we don’t have all that many of them. Apparently, ducks can be trained to eat them, but keeping ducks would be tough here with all the fox, bobcat and coyote around.
Sadly, our mallards seem to have moved elsewhere for the time being, otherwise I would give that a try!
I so enjoyed listening to its song. Your link was so pleasant, I went on to YouTube and found some longer recordings. It sounds vaguely like our American robin, which also happens to be a thrush. The young one is darling, and they’re all so pretty. I had no idea there are birds that eat snails: at least, songbirds.
Thank goodness for thrushes I say! I love listening to nature sound tracks (even if it does make me think of garden centres with their recorded robin calls). The one I play most is a recording of crickets, because after living in the Canary islands for so long I really missed the sound when we returned to England. 🙂
Cute! I also wondered if nature has somehow taken advantage of mankind stepping back a bit, but it may just be that we are out in our gardens more this year and are tuning on to nature better. Whatever it is, it has been the same here with cuckoos, thrushes and co making themselves heard. 😃
You are most likely correct. I’ve certainly been out in the garden more with all this great weather. They (birds and animals) all seems closer and louder though. Spooky!
Actually I am just feeling frustrated by what I think is a visiting badger who invariably digs up whatever I planted and watered the day before. Lol, I did not have this problem before the pandemic!