Illustration: Christina Carpenter

This month, in the Simple Things bird hide, we look at the mistle thrush…

Mistle thrushes are one of the first birds to begin to sing and build nests, some even start this month

Look for: Tiny brown ‘chevrons’ on their chests, white sides to the tail and a greyish hue on their back, rather than the warmer brown sported by a song thrush.

Spot them: All over the UK, other than the northern and western isles of Scotland, foraging at ground level and singing high in tree tops.

Listen for: A song a little like a blackbird, sung in a minor key, which stops and starts. Their ‘call’ is more aggressive and raspy, like an old-fashioned football rattle.

Birdwatch appears every month on our Almanac pages. Find more seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do in the Almanac each month. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe