Absolutely exquisite. I loved this, closely observed detail and descriptions of a variety of birds in all their habits. The author’s love of the subject is apparent. A beautiful book.

The author Steven Lovatt explores the theory on how birdsong seemed to be more prolific during lockdown. We became aware of it more due to the quietness of our streets and roads and we had time!.
He lays out full research of birds, their behaviours and songs.
A really interesting and thought provoking book.
My thanks go to the publisher, author and Netgalley in providing this arc in return for a honest review.

I was particularly keen to read this book as I felt I related with it - in the first lockdown I was one of many, sitting in my garden or going on walks and wishing I could identify the birdsong. I’m now visiting nature reserves at every opportunity to immerse myself in wildlife, specifically birds. I enjoyed this book and learnt a lot - and will happily recommend to customers.

This morning I woke to the sound of birdsong. There is nothing nicer. For many, birdsong kept us sane during lockdown.
This book looks at our love of birdsong. In addition, it looks at birdsong, detailing the different bird songs and how to recognise them; before looking at our current understanding of; the ways that birds use their song and the surprising ways in which they adapt and improvise their tunes.
I loved the experience of reading this book. I highly recommend this book as part of your #springathon reading diet.

This is a fine enough book - it's well-written and Lovatt's passion for birds comes across very clearly - but I just didn't like it that much. I think part of the reason is that the central narrative/argument already feels quite cliche to me. I've read a lot about how people listened to birdsong in lockdown, reconnected with nature, became more concerned about the environment, etc. If you're going to turn that into an entire book rather than a twitter thread or blog post, I think you need to bring something new to the table - and this book just didn't. Instead, it consistently played safe and delivered exactly what you'd expect. As a person who is not interested in birds that much and who had a very different experience of lockdown (I spent most of the pandemic in various crappy flatshares with minimal access to nature), I couldn't relate to most of it, and it felt like Lovatt wasn't trying to convince me much. This is a book about a suburban dad who rediscovers birdwatching during lockdown, aimed at other suburban dads who (re)discovered birdwatching during lockdown and feel nostalgic about it, and that's... pretty much it. While I learnt a lot of details about bird behaviour and birdsong, I don't feel like my perspective was fundamentally changed.

I think part of the issue is that I've read a lot of nature and conservation non-fiction lately, and I'm beginning to find the genre a little underwhelming. Stronger books of this genre have a strong thesis, offer a new perspective on nature, and are making a genuinely important point. They also appeal to readers who might have a different experience of the world, but can nonetheless find something worthwhile in these books - for example, English Pastoral brings the perspective of an author from a traditional farming background in the Lake District, makes an important point about the decline of traditional farming practices, and I connected with it on an emotional level despite me having nothing in common with the author. Birdsong in a Time of Silence is a decent book and a pleasant read, but it doesn't really achieve any of those. I think plenty of people could read and enjoy it, but for me, it lacked impact somewhat.

A timely book now that we’re finding our way back to normal life. Steven Lovatt muses on how birdsong seemed to be more prolific during lockdown. At the very least, the quietness of our city streets made us more aware of it and made it easier to enjoy it without the intrusion of city noises. His research into the physics of birdsong and the behaviour of our garden birds is interesting and I enjoyed learning more about the birds around me. I found the language laboured and self consciously cultivated at times, however, and that detracted from my overall enjoyment. Having said that, this would be a lovely gift for a keen birder.

Written with eloquent and poetic descriptions of birdsong, this is one man’s experience of birdsong in his local area from the first lockdown in spring 2020 through to the winter. “Finally, the earth could hear itself think, and the voice of its thought was song.”

This little book has brought me an even greater love of listening to the birds that surround my boat and I loved the way the author attempted to describe their songs. It’s a joyful and meditative read!

This book deserves its place on the 2021 Wainwright Prize longlist, and in my opinion should have been on the shortlist.
Unlike so many nature writing books this feels like one for the ordinary person, it is about the things you notice around you in your daily life and not at all about taking epic journeys or undertaking detailed research. I pleasure to read and it has definitely opened my ears as we walk

As an already keen, if amateur birder, lockdown actually helped me have more time to go out interconnect with nature away from the stress of the Covid situation and work. This book exemplifies the healing power of nature, and also how so many more people forged a new connection with the world that they had previously left unnoticed. Poignant, sensitive and enlightening this is a beautifully realised piece of nature writing.

Birdsong in a Time of Silence by Steven Lovatt is a wonderful collection of essays, nature observations, musings, and reflections that was truly a pleasure to read.

My son has been actively learning and exploring birds, birdwatching, and well anything bird related, so I have been learning quite a bit through different podcasts, lectures, books, and nature walks. This was a wonderful book to add to my learning curve.

I have found that over the last year that while I have always loved being outdoors for daily walks and runs, I have really enjoyed it even more so. I have been more observant, listening more, honing in my skills to find, identify, and decipher different birds, their sounds, their nests, and their daily activities. I found that through isolation with COVID (except for work as I work in healthcare), I truly do appreciate nature even more so. It was a pleasure to find similar sentiments in what Mr. Lovatt has written in this book. His reflections, thoughts, feelings, and all that he is able to translate in what he sees, hears, and experiences was such a wonderful comfort. His ability to reflect in writing what he was experiencing was a joy. He definitely has a true talent. He should consider adding a regular outlet or podcast. I think it would be well-received.

I feel rejuvenated and relaxed after reading this book and highly recommend it.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Penguin Press UK/Particular Books for this truly wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and Waterstones accounts upon publication which is 3/4/21.

This is a superb book - written in a really engaging and interesting way. I thought he wrote about Covid well and highlighted our vulnerability (and nature's) after the event. There was also a sense of history and place weaved in alongside the discussion on birds. It was the perfect book to learn with.

This was a wonderfully relaxing and insightful book, as the author looks back at a strange old year - 2020! - and how it affected the way we interacted with birds and wildlife given that so many of us had more time at home, and more hours to notice the sounds coming from our gardens, parks and woodland areas.

For the author, the sound of birdsong evoked many happy childhood memories and I could totally relate to that. Even as I read the book, I sat out in my garden listening to the many varieties of birds that visit the very well stocked bird tables I provide! And it's that connection with birds that I enjoyed so much about this book. It explores different types, their characteristics and the amazing stories about migration and their battles for survival.

In lockdown the world was a much quieter place - oh to have that back! - with less traffic on the roads, no planes in the sky and the author picks up on each season through the last year and how that affected the wildlife around us and how we interacted with it, given that we were exploring local areas more and spending more time noticing the little things in life we took for granted and often ignored!

It also touches on climate change and how that is affecting the various species, along with the destruction of local habitats - as I read the book, I could hear a neighbour hacking back a shrub much loved by a large group of sparrows - and it really shows how important our actions impact on that of the bird populations.

I have learned so much from this book and it has also helped me appreciate visits from our feathered friends and to do more to make sure they continue coming! It also brilliantly sums up the experiences of the past year and how that has made more of us connect with nature and our surroundings. I just hope that many don't forget about the joys that our gardens and wildlife have bought us over the past year and that they will start changing their ways to help wildlife a little more - I have my doubts but there is hope!

The author has a beautiful way with words and it was just a pleasure to read from start to finish!

I have been nervous about reading anything inspired by the 2020 coronavirus lockdown. But given that one of my new hobbies from the pandemic period is taking note and delighting in the commonplace British birds I see on my daily walks - blackbird, robin, starling, magpie, wren - this is a lyrical, gentle read that opens my eyes and increases my knowledge even more.

“Above all the other birdsongs of March, the blackbird’s rises unmistakeable.”

So begins chapter two of this wonderful book, a chapter devoted entirely to blackbirds, one of the UK’s most well-known species that probably everyone can recognise by sight. As the quote suggests, their fruity song isn’t hard to distinguish either, and is for me one of the most iconic sounds of spring.

This book was written last year during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when man-made noise ceased abruptly and birdsong became much more apparent. It starts at the beginning of the first UK lockdown and continues until November 2020, which gives an immediacy to the writing. It’s being released to coincide with the best of the birdsong this year, which makes it a perfect spring read. Through his own experiences, the author shares how soothing birdsong can be and how it can help during stressful times, as well as celebrating birds and birdwatching in general. He makes birdsong and birdwatching fun and accessible, which is so important because it’s a really good way to relax and is open to anyone.

Reading this book has made me more aware even this month of the gradually increasing songs and calls to be heard from my window. It contains beautiful descriptions, fascinating information and great tips for identifying many species commonly heard in towns. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys listening to the birds, whether you just started noticing them recently or whether they have always been special to you. I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an e-arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Before I read this book I could not tell the difference between a hawk and a sparrow. Now I always keep an eye and an ear open during my walks. Both timely and compulsive reading.