The best way to learn is by spending time outside listening to songs and calls with someone who can already recognise them. Most people find it impossible to learn more than a couple of new calls or songs in a day so it's worth focusing in on just a couple of species during a walk. Once you really know the calls made by common species such as robins, wrens, great tits and wood pigeons, it will become progressively easier to pick out anything different.
CDs of bird songs and calls can be helpful too and are available from Norfolk Wildlife Trust at its visitor centres, such as
NWT Cley Marshes nature reserve. Wildounds based in Norfolk, offers a huge range of CDs by mail order and can be contacted via the website
www.wildsounds.co.uk .
Many guided walks are organised by NWT on its nature reserves (check event listings on the website for current events) and these often provide opportunities to learn from and with others who will be delighted to share their knowledge.
Picture by Elizabeth Dack