Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

It's cold, dark, windy and very, very early in the morning, but Roger's been sitting in his Land Rover for quite a while already, listening for the first stirrings of the dawn chorus.
For Roger, the dawn chorus heralds the start of the year, as the sun comes out, the flowers bloom and the birds begin to sing.

Roger recording at Ennerdale

In recording the dawn chorus for thirty years, Roger has heard many changes; from the decline of species such as the wood warbler and thrushes, to the rise of the collared dove, but the biggest change has been the noise created by man, from farmers quad bikes to transatlantic aeroplanes.

And what do Roger's family think of his early morning exploits?
"They think I'm pretty stupid" says Roger, but "they like it when I come back and I've made them breakfast before they're even up! And I take cups of tea to my wife in bed ... which always goes down well."*

Ennerdale

*Roger's wife says she cannot remember Roger ever bringing her breakfast in bed, which Roger puts down to her selective memory!