Tips for February

1 Start listening for birdsong

While Robins are the only British birds that sing regularly throughout the winter, by early February, many more species are also joining in. Mistle and Song Thrushes will both start singing on fine days from midwinter onwards – learn to distinguish between the two and you could turn one tick into two. Both are loud and melodious, and both often repeat phrases three times, but Mistle Thrushes (right) sing more slowly, with less variety, and with a more melancholy quality. Other birds also start singing as the month goes on, especially if the weather is mild.

2 Check out the early nesters

With the trees bare, keep an eye out for those species that nest early. Grey Herons (above) are colonial nesters, building large nests of sticks in the tops of large trees – from early February onwards look for these long-legged birds standing on their nests. Ravens are another species that breed very early in the season, and are now spreading their range across large parts of lowland Britain, beyond the upland areas that had been thought of as their natural habitat. They also build large nests of sticks; in trees, on rock ledges, or on artificial structures, such as pylons. Find one and you can add this wonderfully aerobatic corvid to your list.

3 Expect some early migrants

Warmer winters mean that the arrival dates of the earliest migrants have been creeping forward. If you see what looks like a Wheatear, Little Ringed Plover, Sandwich Tern (above), Garganey or Sand Martin in mid to late February, don’t dismiss it as a product of your imagination – it could well be an early migrant.