Holbrook Hedgerow, 27th February 2024

A 2012 hedgerow report states Holbrook had 468 hedges running for a total a distance of 41km (25 miles) within the parish. They are nature's corridors and provide cover for animals to move between habitats. They also provide shelter for walkers seeking a brief refuge from the wind that often rips across the open fields. Holbrook's hedges line many of the footpaths and roads in and around the village. This recording captures the sounds within a hedge on a grey morning in February. I was enthralled by the bird sounds the recording captured within ten minutes. The sounds within the hedge were totally different to those outside of it. The Merlin bird app identified: blue tit, great tit, song thrush, magpie, rook, robin, jackdaw, graylag goose, long-tailed tit, blackbird, mistle thrush, goldfinch and jackdaw. Also present is the drone of a leaf blower, a tractor and two flights passing overhead: one from Heathrow to Vienna and one from Budapest to Stanstead. More information about Suffolk's hedgerows can be found here: https://suffolkbis.org.uk/hedgerow This episode was made possible through funding from Arts Council England through their Developing Your Creative Practice grant. [This field recording was recorded to showcase the natural sounds heard in a rural setting. It features no human voices. No monies will be made from the recording. Please contact me if you have any concerns]