We’ve spent quit a lot of time sitting out in our garden in the shade of an apple tree these past few days. The weather has been so hot that anything else seems like too much effort.

Our garden isn’t anything special – just a small, unkempt green space at the back of our house. What ha surprised me is how many birds there are. This must be partly due to the neighbours several different types of well-stocked bird-feeders. We have two cats, so bird feeders would not be appropriate in OUR garden!

We don’t SEE many birds, but can HEAR many different bird calls.

Here’s a free, down-loadable podcast has been a bit of a help in getting to know which bird is what.

https://audioboo.fm/boos/518233-birdwatching-with-your-eyes-closed-by-simon-barnes

I love the wren; this  song is very familiar to me, and I never realised it was the wren’s song. Such a powerful sound, from such a tiny little bird.

Of course, there is always Messiaen; here he is explaining his transcriptions on youtube. I think I feel a year 5 or 6 composition project coming….    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdgUJss9BU