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Katie Fuller

This morning, I woke just before 1 am to the sound of my bedroom door rattling, and shelves and a filing cabinet shaking. I opened my eyes and felt the whole room wobbling!

Robin singing in tree. Photo by Chris Gomersall (RSPB Images)Even 90 miles away, some of us felt vibrations from the tremors that struck Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, though we were lucky enough not to suffer any damage.

A friend of mine who lives in Peterborough, closer to the epicentre, was already wide-awake, playing on his computer. He likened the sound to 'the low rumble of a truck pulling up outside followed by at least 50 cats bouncing up and down on the conservatory roof', but when he stepped outside, the air was full of blackbird and robin song.

Some birds do sing at night at this time of year, notably the two species mentioned, but not in the same numbers as my friend heard. Birds must be used to roosting in trees which wobble about in the wind, so what caused them to wake up and start singing?

It's been thought for centuries that animals are sensitive to earthquakes and other natural phenomena. In 373 BC, contemporary historians recorded that small animals deserted the Greek city of Helice before an earthquake razed it.

Having canvassed friends and colleagues who live nearer The Lodge, the majority slept through this momentous event and were bemused by the headlines on the television and radio when they finally woke.

I like the idea that the 'quake might make people think a bit more about the natural world and what goes on in it. You have to marvel at the power of nature when something like this happens, and it's all down to some large rocks shifting around underneath us...

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  • I wish I'd opened the window when I woke up to see what the birds were up to, but unfortunately I was more interested in getting back to sleep. Still, next time we have an earthquake, I shall remember...

  • I was shaken briefly from my slumbers by the quake - without realising what it was!

    I didn't notice any birdsong in the night, but the birds in our garden seemed to be rather subdued this morning.

    Someone in Staffordshire is quoted on the BBC website as saying "The birds were flying around like it was daylight."

  • I felt the earthquake too last night in Sandy. It's interesting about animals being sensitive to this kind of thing, my cat was going crazy last night so I can imagine he was picking up on something.

    When I woke up this morning, I did wonder how this kind of thing effects birds and nature.

    Sign the RSPB's Letter to the Future to ensure a healthy environment for our future generations.