Today the rain has poured in sheets. I have been sewing labels on Little Owl’s clothes ready for her return to nursery next week. While she heads back to all her pals I’ll be sitting down to my desk, not as an art student, but a freelance illustrator. It’s strange to think of all those students starting the new term this week and not being amongst them. Still, exciting too!
This week’s bird is the Song Thrush. Simon Barnes, in his book Birdwatching With Your Eyes Closed, says the key is to listen out for a “bird that is incredibly loud and given to repeating phrases.” In contrast to the Great Tit, who has six or seven songs in his repertoire, the Song Thrush has over 200. Over time the Song Thrush adds to his repertoire by picking up tunes from all around him and composing them into his own special Song Thrush tune. Apparently Song Thrushes will incorporate the songs of other birds into their compositions and even the warning tune of a reversing lorry. This is going to be a tough one to get my ear around, especially as I won’t be able to listen out for a real Song Thrush until next spring when they sing in response to the lengthening days. They’ve also been given red status by the RSPB, which means they are globally threatened and in decline in the UK. Here’s the link to the song of a Song Thrush.
