It was lovely to hear a Song Thrush singing its' heart out in the scrub near the office.
The song consists of a series of vigorous, simple phrases, less rich than that of the Blackbird, but with a penetrating quality. The fluting notes are often interspersed with harsh, impure tones and some mimicry of other species. Each phrase is repeated between two or four times, most often three as an average.
Song thrushes establish a breeding territory in the late winter or early spring. The territory is essential for pair formation and nesting, but only a part of the food for the young is obtained from within it.
Territory size varies depending on the habitat, from 0.2-6 hectares, or even more. Territory boundaries break down in the late summer when the last brood has fledged. Most song thrushes in the UK remain in the same area all year.
Winter territories are often established in the late autumn or early winter, although this is variable and dependent on weather and food availability. Many males remain in their previous seasons territory, and a few females hold individual winter territories.
Song thrushes are sensitive to hard winter weather. Winter territories are abandoned during periods of severe weather, when many birds move southwards, even as far as north-west France and northern Spain. Considerable numbers of Dutch birds spend the winter in the UK.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.