Bird Sound ID in Summer (2 sessions, Wednesdays 10am)

Whinchat by Nick Moran
Level
Beginner/Improver
Presenter
Nick Moran, Jenny Donelan, Rob Jaques
Date
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - 10:00 to Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - 10:00
Places
Places available
Book places online

Learn to recognise widespread UK songbirds in summer by their songs and calls

Bird Sound ID in Summer involves two interactive online sessions of about two hours each, complemented by supported self-study exercises. We place a strong emphasis on providing you with tools and techniques to help you to continue learning to identify birds by sound after the course. In order to participate you will need:
 

  •  broadband of sufficient speed to view live video

  • a computer with sound and ideally a webcam, or a tablet / smartphone

  • good headphones or speakers that don’t automatically filter out high-pitched sounds
     

CONTENT:

Please note that Bird Sound ID in Summer includes much of the same sound-related content as the Songbird ID course that we ran during 2021–24. Most of the species covered are fairly common and widespread, but not many of them are ‘garden’ birds, hence this course is most suitable for people keen to learn to recognise bird sounds in a wider range of habitats.

The two sessions will cover the following:

Session 1: Wednesday 30 April, 10am–12pm 

We will begin with an overview of what makes a ‘songbird’, before recapping the ‘Describe–Visualise–Memorise’ approach to recognising and remembering bird sounds that is introduced in our ‘Bird Sound ID in Early Spring’ course. Species covered in this session will include Linnet, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Skylark and pipits.

Session 2: Wednesday 7 May, 10am–12pm

After reviewing the self-study activities, we will help you build familiarity with the songs and calls of our widespread warbler species, along with Stonechat, Whinchat and Wheatear.

Across the two sessions, we will explore ways for you to continue developing your auditory ID skills beyond the course, particularly around the use of spectrograms to help visualise the bird sounds you hear.

PRESENTERS: This course will be led by BTO staff Nick Moran, Jenny Donelan and Rob Jaques, all experienced birders, surveyors and trainers.

COST AND ATTENDANCE: The programme of two weekly online sessions and supported self-study exercises costs £24. There's an option to add a donation if you wish to further support the work of the BTO and are able to do so. If the cost is prohibitive, there is also a pricing option for those on lower incomes.

Participants are strongly encouraged to attend both live sessions to get maximum benefit, though recordings of the sessions are circulated afterwards, should you miss either of them.

After booking you should receive an automatic confirmation email. If this doesn’t arrive, please check your spam / junk email folder and if it is not there, or you have any other questions or booking issues, please email us at training [at] bto.org.