A dear friend, Julie Albertalli, spoke of a fond recollection about the arrival each spring of the Wood Thrushes on the family farm's hillside woods. Here's one I discovered lurking in the shaded woods of the nearby Newtown Battlefield State Park. That's just up the hill from her homestead. This is often all you get to see of a thrush among the trees.
Julie's joy centered on the Wood Thrush song that drifts down from the tall hardwood trees with the sweetness of a solo flute. Here's the sound from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's collection:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/
It's a rare situation where I actually see an entire bird singing on a sunny perch. Note the rich color displayed:
Today, I was back in a woods near to where Julie grew up hearing their song. There was a bird foraging in the lower levels (mostly for caterpillars). It's spreading its wings to take flight.
On very close examination, I can see a small insect in its beak. That's probably an indication that they are feeding young, so I expect the singing will decline as territorial protection is reduced. I will have to wait until 2023 to easily hear the flute's melody.
Paul Schmitt
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