Baltic birdsong for Spring: Marsh Warbler, Corncrake, Nightingale

Take note – story published 2 years ago

The days are longer and everything is waking up after a long, hard winter. Spring is also the time when migratory birds return to Latvia. But which ones, and how can you recognize their songs?

In coming days we'll bring you a selection of the original twittersphere's greatest hits so that by the time you're swinging lazily in a sun-drenched hammock you won't even need to open your eyes to know what's up in the branches above.

The recordings are courtesy of ornithologist Edmunds Račinsks, with photographs from Jānis Jansons.

 

Marsh Warbler

The song of the Marsh Warbler is amazingly diverse and complex. This species is also a talented impressionist, able to accurately reproduce the calls of other birds into its own.

Purva ķauķis vītero
00:00 / 01:39
Lejuplādēt

 

Corncrake

Like other smaller birds of the fields, corncrakes are rarely seen as they like to hide among the vegetation whenever possible. Their call however is anything but shy and is the definitive sound of Midsummer celebrations.

Grieze vītero
00:00 / 01:19
Lejuplādēt

 

 

Nightingale

Famously the inspiration of the poet John Keats (currently having the 200th anniversary of his death marked), the Nightingale is the possessor of one of the most beautiful voices of the natural world. You can expect to hear them in Latvia from the end of April when they "Singest of summer in full-throated ease".

Lakstīgala vītero
00:00 / 01:54
Lejuplādēt
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