It’s Oh So Quiet!

If you have been out in the park, woods or here in the Forest of Dean recently you may have noticed the silence. No blackbirds singing from the highest point; no thrush’s song echoing through the trees; even the robins and wrens are quiet. Why?

By now the nests are empty, eggs have hatched, chicks fledged and flown away. An exhausting business for two small birds. They need to renew tatty feathers – no time to do any proper preening – rest and put on some weight for the winter.

While moulting they are vulnerable because they can’t fly so well. The solution? Keep quiet; keep a low profile; eat! Get on with staying alive until next Spring, when the air is full of birdsong once again.

However, the next time you hear a robin sing will be at the end of August into September. Their delicate song in the minor key will be a wistful reminder that autumn is on its way.