Daft o’ Clock Birding… I must be mad!

Early morning is a good time for birds… that’s a well known fact.

It’s also a well known fact that 4:00am is a sub-optimal time for a 40 year old night owl with a propensity to stay up too late. But come tomorrow morning… that I will be that soldier.

My wife thinks I’m mad… and perhaps she’s right… but tomorrow is National Dawn Chorus Day… and I’m off to see what’s happening at the Birdwatch Ireland West Cork Branch event at Lough Hyne, near Baltimore (meeting at 4:30 at the car park).

I’ll make a confession here… I usually miss Dawn Chorus Day.

Despite the best of intentions, every year the urge to stay in a nice warm bed usurps the desire to arise before dawn and trudge around a semi-local wilderness listening for birds that it’s too dark to see. Yes… I’ve experienced the dawn chorus before… lots of times… at home, or when camping, or any other time I’ve had to be up at daft o’ clock at this time of year. But this will be the first time I voluntarily get out of bed and make it to one of the organised events.

That is, of course, if I manage to get out of bed in the morning. Wish me luck!

If you’re mad enough to be contemplating the same thing then check out this list of national dawn chorus day events around the country to find one near you.