09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August

Summary

August brings an eerie hush to London’s skies—gone are the springtime choruses, replaced by secretive birds, murmuring juveniles, and the first whispers of migration. Yet hidden in the quiet, rare melodies linger: the cricket-like trill of a grasshopper warbler, the defiant ticking of robins, and the raucous squabbles of parakeets. Return on 09 August to uncover the city’s fading summer birdsong, from the lost coos of turtle doves to the haunting snore of baby owls. Discover why this month is a treasure hunt for patient listeners!"

Article

Bird Song

August is a month of contrasts for the birdwatcher. People ask “where have all the birds gone?” as they see and hear far fewer than usual. The answer lies in the varied behaviour of different species. Some are quiet and secretive as they are still nesting, others are moulting and so avoiding predators. Then there are some that may have already started their migration. Most are quiet as they have at least stopped trying to attract females or laying down territories. There are, however, still plenty of noisy juveniles around. Interesting migrants are now starting to appear all over the capital. Even in gardens, Londoners will be noticing newcomers visiting their bird tables.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

The early part of August is generally regarded as the quietest time of the whole year. Even the small number of birds that are still vocal are generally more subdued in their delivery and tend to confine themselves to short phrases. Species such as chiffchaff and willow warbler are heard more in July and September but are strangely silent this month. Traditionally chaffinches were said to only deliver half their song in August. Fortunately there are still the honking skeins of Canada geese and more recently the raucous calls of parakeets to break the silence. Around old buildings jackdaws continue to ‘jack’.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

In the early part of the month it may still be possible to hear nightjars, most of our buntings and one or two warblers such as the sedge, reed and possibly even a grasshopper warbler. The sound of the latter bird is similar to a cricket except reeling uninterrupted for longer, perhaps as long as two minutes.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

This strange call also has the unusual feature of not allowing the listener to accurately predict the direction from which it is coming. By mid August there is a light increase in bird song as starlings start to tune up again and by late August the more common tits start to join in.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

In gardens it is robins that are most likely to be heard now with an occasional ticking wren and perhaps crows arguing or a screeching jay passing overhead. Both hedge and house sparrows may also be heard but thrushes are still silent. Even the normal loud ‘pinking’ of blackbirds is missing as parents could well be attending to their third brood. If gardens contain thistles or cardoons, parties of chattering goldfinches occasionally make an appearances.

Woods are also quiet, except for the occasional few outbursts from wood pigeons, stock doves, chiffchaffs, willow warblers and laughing green woodpeckers. If there are conifers, goldcrests may also join in. The rich florid song of blackcaps is now reduced to the occasional sharp ticking call delivered as if they resent your presence. Open areas are also devoid of sound with perhaps the occasional skylark or a lone partridge being heard at dusk. Rarer sounds could include bullfinch, snipe, twite or lesser redpoll.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

On a brighter note it is a good time to listen out for buntings e.g. corn bunting, reed bunting and yellow hammer. The rare cirl bunting was common enough on the North Downs but is now hardly ever heard. South facing slopes that contained a little juniper were their most favoured spots. Reed buntings are vocal the whole month but yellowhammers normally fall silent in mid August, possibly not being heard again for six months.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

Other attractive sounds to seek out are the calls between birds of prey and their young. Parents may now be teaching their young how to find and catch prey. This usually involves a variety of mewing calls if it is a family of buzzards, with more piercing calls coming from sparrowhawks and peregrines.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

Among the most enchanting lost sounds of August are the classic end of summer chattering of linnets and the jangling key calls of corn buntings. The cooing calls of flocks of turtle doves are another great loss. More amusingly, August was the best time to hear baby barn owls snoring in old farm buildings.

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image

09-Aug The Vanishing Songs of August Section Image