How early can the dawn chorus start?

[Bellfamily]

This may be a daft question and please don't reply with 'dawn'

I got up to a call of nature at 1.30 this morning and was surprised to hear a bird singing outside. I opened my window and was sure there were perhaps a couple having a sing song. It was still dark, well as dark as it can be with the lights from a local by-pass not far away!

Is this a normal occurance to hear birds so early and what bird do you think it may have been. The only way to describe it was like a trilling sound but it was very pretty. I could have stood there at the window listening for some time especially as it was so mild, but my bed was calling!

[artdemole]

The Robbin and Starling have been known to sing at night with street lights being on.

[aeshna5]

I suspect it's most likely to be a Robin.

[artdemole]

Seen on the web via Google---International Dawn Chorus Day-Sunday May 1st.Usual start is about 4.30 am.-www.idcd.info

[Richard Baber]

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night..."

Not uncommon to hear blackbirds at night round our way.

[Jonners]

At my local Tesco the other night I heard a Robin and a Song Thrush at about 2am. Undoubtedly this was related to the bright lights around the car park, rather than a "true" dawn chorus. I guess to get an idea of a more realistic idea one would need to be in a more remote area, and as the year progresses and the sun rises earlier, the chorus will start earlier. More birds will join in too as Spring approaches.

[faz]

im up at 0345 4 days a week for work the last 3 weeks robins singing im in a rural area street light not far away to my right side of house is a nature reserve no song from there just where the lights are

[tcvarlh]

I dunno, I just wish the little perishers would go to bed at the same time as me, noisy neighbours!
h

[Bellfamily]

Well, I stayed up again last night (into the early hours) and as it was so mild I left my window slightly open and lay in bed listening to the lovely singing. I had my laptop and with the use of the wonderful web, tried to identify the singer!

I have to admit that the title of this thread referring to Dawn chorus is not quite accurate as it was not a chorus but I think a couple of robins! There was something so restful falling asleep with the window and curtains open and being serenaded to sleep.

[thebeard]

when i was cycling home last night over a bridge over the trent at around 2.30am, it was pretty loud with the sound of song thrushes, a blackbird and several robins. it echoed across the water, was lovely to stop and listen. first blackbird singing for me this year, exactly a week after my first song thrush in nearly the same spot!