In the early hours of Dawn Chorus Day 2025, I did what I’ve done many times before-I sat quietly in my Apartment in Harrogate, letting the sound of the morning arrive. But this time, I brought my recorder with me.

The dawn chorus is one of nature’s most ordinary miracles. It happens every morning. The blackbirds, starlings and wrens began calling into the darkness just after 4am, their songs overlapping in gentle waves. I simply pressed record and let it unfold.

I’ve shared this field recording as part of my podcast, Harrogate Sound Portrait – a slow audio series capturing the textures, tones and atmospheres of the town I call home. This episode is a quiet invitation to pause and listen. No commentary, no added sound design. Just birdsong, breath and the faint rustle of a new day beginning.

If you’d like to experience the recording in its full depth and detail, I’ve made the master-quality files available to download HERE.

I hope this episode brings a moment of calm, wherever you are.