🌿 The Blackbird – A Voice of the Dawn

Dear friends,I’ve just released a new episode of The Listening Planet—and it’s a very personal one.It’s about the bird that most likely introduced me to nature recording: the blackbird.As a child, I would lie hidden in the bracken and listen. The blackbird’s alarm call taught me that something—or someone—had entered the woods. Its song, rich and flute-like, became the soundtrack to countless dawn choruses I recorded across the British Isles. The blackbird was my teacher, my companion, and my guide into the natural world.But today, the blackbird is in trouble.A mosquito-borne disease called Usutu virus has been spreading across Europe and the UK since 2020. In places like London, blackbird numbers have dropped by 40% in just five years. Add to this the sun-baked, wormless soils of Britain’s driest spring on record, and the pressure on this once-abundant bird is immense.The British Trust for Ornithology has launched a national survey—Blackbirds in Gardens—asking the public to log sightings from April through September. It’s a simple act: spot a blackbird, record it, and you’re helping science track the disease and protect the species.🎧 In this episode, I share my memories of how the blackbird shaped me, my recordings of their songs, and why now—more than ever—we must pay attention.👉 [Listen to the episode here]👉 [Take part in the survey here] https://www.devonlive.com/news/uk-world-news/anyone-blackbirds-asked-immediately-help-10462592The blackbird taught me to listen.Now it’s our turn to listen to it—and act.Thank you, as always, for supporting me and The Listening Planet. Your support allows me to keep documenting these fragile voices and sharing their stories with the world.With gratitude,Martyn 🌍🎙️