Consequently, over the past week, inhabitants of villages and parts of London under the Heathrow flight path could hear the birds singing on these beautiful spring days, not obscured by the cacophony of planes overhead.

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The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming and May Day is soon upon us.

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Ever since early man had to worry about forest predators, he says, people found singing birds reassuring.

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The birds taken include Mexican house finches, green singing finches, java sparrows, Bengalese finches, diamond doves, painted finches and waxbills.

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