Early morning birds

[emmay35]

I was woken up at 3.30am today by a load of chirping birds. It was obviously pitch black so why do they start so early? I thought they woke up with the light? And why the morning I have to go back to work after the Christmas break?! :-(

[qapmoc]

Maybe they are waiting for Rosy Posy in the previous question to put out her bird feed on the table in her garden.

[WendyS]

Do you have anybody living nearby who has a security light on the front of their house which was triggered by a passing fox or cat? If this is near a tree in which the birds were roosting, this might have woken them up rather summarily.

[paddy_36]

I've heard birds singing during the night quite a bit recently. I read somewhere that robins sing by streetlight at night; maybe they're the culprits!

[Cetti]

I agree with paddy_36 it's most likely to be a Robin. as they are the most active 'night' singers....although you did say 'a load of chirping' - which suggests more than one bird. 3.30am is a bit early.....earplugs?

Although Christmas has barely passed the birds are already gearing up for the spring. The youngsters will be practising like mad in readiness for securing a mate and the best nest site. Dunnocks, Blackbirds and Robins mumble to themselves, almost as if they are embarrassed by the sounds they make, but this subsong will shortly be replaced by the full throated versions.

[emmay35]

Thanks for your answers, could be all of the above. Just for your interest they started at 11.00 last night! Yaaawwn!!

[Tammera]

if it makes you feel better, my friend moved by the sea a couple years ago and she said the seagulls were a nightmare for waking her up (and they are loud) she got used to it after a while and slept through it:)