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Living World

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Getting up close and personal with wild nature in Britain and beyond.

Intimate encounters and extraordinary observations of wild nature in Britain and beyond.

The Living World

Living World: 13/06/2010

13/06/2010

BBC Radio 4 - Living World, 13/06/2010

Lionel Kellaway witnesses the performance of early migrant birds on Dartmoor.

Accompanied by the woodland chorus, John Walters and Lionel Kelleway immerse themselves in the sweet songs and displays of the Wood Warbler, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher.

4/18. Lionel Kelleway accompanies naturalist, artist and author John Walters in a quest through the oak woodland of the Dart Valley to find early migrant birds. They've just flown in from Africa and waste no time before getting down to the business of Spring. The males arrive first and advertise their chosen nest sites to the females, each with a different song and display. To the accompaniment of its calls, John evokes the images of the Wood Warbler males flitting, butterfly-like over a likely nest area to entice a female. Then they tune in to Redstart males calling, fanning their red tails in display. Used only once a year, they dance in and out of their nest holes, flipping around and singing from within, just the white flash on their foreheads showing. Finally the male Pied Flycatcher puts in an appearance, flitting around its hollow tree trunk nest hole, showing off the white bars on its wings. It sings from its hole with the white spots above its bill conspicuous in the dark hole. 

On this warm Spring morning, Lionel and John are clearly delighted by all three birds performances. A rarely heard wildlife audio spectacle, not to be missed.

Presented by Lionel Kelleway
Produced by Tania Dorrity.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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13/06/2010

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