If you are interested in finding out more about UK birds, the BBC is currently doing a series of nature-study Programmes for children called "Springwatch".

A radio series called "A Guide to Woodland Birds" has just started, and you can listen again here (scroll down):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/guidewoodlandbirds/pip/n9odk/

British Birdsong:
An audio guide to some of Britain's most popular birds
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/birdsong.shtml

You can also watch the Springwatch programmes from this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/springwatch/index.shtml

Hello!

I thought I would share what we've learnt this morning.

We were reading about the 'firecrest', which is apparently one of the UK's smallest (if not *the* smallest) bird, though I had never heard of it before now.

I checked it out on the RSPB's website, and was pleased to find that they have a sample of its song together with lots of information:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/f/firecrest/index.asp

We're just on the edge of being in the right area to find the firecrest, so I will have to make a note to look for it when we go out towards the south-east.

The book we were reading, by the way (if any of you are interested) is '366 and more Nature Stories', published by Brown Watson. The author is Anne-Marie Dalmais with illustrations by Annie Bonhomme. It seems to have been written originally in Europe (printed in Milan) and is translated into English and edited by Colin Clark.  It is a great book for nature study, with short and sweet little stories every day of the year.

There's some great pictures of the book here and it is available through used booksellers.