Hark, how blithe the throstle sings
And he is no mean preacher
Come forth into the light of things
Let Nature be your teacher
William WOrdsworth
I spend many hours in the forest and have been fascinated for some time by the song of a mysterious bird I could never see. It was reminiscent of a child’s toy – one that cycles through a range of different sounds, each being played for a few seconds before moving on to the next. This birdsong, however, was much more musical than any child’s toy. The range of sounds was incredible, from a car alarm to a toy gun and on to a referee’s whistle! I tried in vain to google what bird might make such a sound.
But recently, as I crept through the forest looking for squirrels, I saw movement on the forest floor up ahead. The bird made no sound and was gone within seconds, but not before I managed to take a single shot. When I got home, I was very pleasantly surprised to find the shot was actually in focus! I googled the markings and discovered that it was a song thrush – and lo and behold, I discovered the source of that amazing birdsong!
Wordsworth’s description is perfect – it’s such a joyous, carefree sound. Let nature be your teacher, indeed.
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June Molloy 