The Song Birds collection

[Contratrombone64]

Here is my alltime favourite songbird, the Australian Magpie, whose oigle-oigle is most endearing.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/sounds/magpie.mp3

It's uglier bigger cousin, the Australian Raven, always makes me laugh because it's like it's saying "faaaaarq, faaaarq" (slight modification of the spelling and you get the message).

http://www.anbg.gov.au/sounds/raven.mp3

Now for the cookatoo, this soundbyte really doesn't capture the ear splitting clangour that is the cookatoo screech. Which, up close, is deafening in the extreme.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/sounds/cockatoo.au

The lovely kookaburra, one of my favourites, too

http://www.anbg.gov.au/sounds/kookaburra.au

[Sylvie Pacey]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE SONG. I was enthralled when in Australia to hear the trilling of the magpie. Not a bit like our British Magpie who croaks and makes horrid sounds. The fairy wren was another of my favourite birds there. So very pretty to look at and to hear it's sweet singing, just magical. Brought back many happy memories of my visit. The Kookaburra is unforgettable too.Sylvie

[Contratrombone64]

We used to sing a lovely song in primary school about the Kookaburra, it went something along the lines of:

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry, merry king of the bush is he"
"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, how gay your life must be"

Good to know something did stick in my brain from the 1960s ...

[Mat]

How strange! We used to sing the same song. But in Polish it goes like this:

Kukabura siedzi na gumowym drzewie
Chociaż jest dziś królem wioski... - wcale o tym nie wie
Śmiej się Kukaburrra, Śmiej się Kukaburrra, Wesołe życie miej!

[wljmrbill]

Do not know names of all the birds that come around; but I have a choir everyday. I have 4 bird feeding areas with a 6 foot pond with a waterfall for them for drinking and lots a flowers scattered around; Love to look out window and watch them.. When I play the piano or organ many times some come closer and sing along with me.. Wonderful feeling.. even in winter time I get alot of birds as I have woods right behind my trailer. They winter there as well as in a number of bird houses I have put up aound my place. Birds and Dogs smooth the savage beast I always say....LOL

[jhnbrbr]

We used to sing a lovely song in primary school about the Kookaburra, it went something along the lines of:

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry, merry king of the bush is he"
"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, how gay your life must be"

Good to know something did stick in my brain from the 1960s ...

And we also sang the same song at school in England in the 1960's - a small world!

[marval]

We used to sing that song too, when I was in the brownies/guides.


Margaret

[Contratrombone64]

Isn't that interesting!! Fancy our little ol' kookaburra song being so widly spread.

[greatcyber]

I had only heard the name kookaburra prior to now...thanks for letting us know just how wonderful this bird sounds. I quite enjoyed listening to all of them. When I was going through old cassettes to make my mum's birthday video, I found one of the green singing finch she had years and years ago. She named him "Caruso" and he would sing quite beautifully. He lived about 8 years. Now, it has made me want one but I'll resisit. Three cats and one dog are more than plenty in our 7 1/2. Besides, Amun is still young enough that he would be constantly trying to get the little birdie, I'm sure.

I sent mummy a short mp3 of her Caruso singing and she plays it over and over and has fond memories. Have a listen for yourselves. He's quite lovely...not unlike a Canary. I have always wanted to hear a nightengale's song.

[Sylvie Pacey]

Hi Stephen, If you want to hear the nightingale there is a wonderful recording on the British Library Archival Sound Recordings website http://sounds.bl.uk. I have only ever once heard the song live when I first moved to the County of Kent in 1956. I wrote a poem for a dear young friend of mine who is a music teacher here at Taunton School (More news of her singing debut later) At the time, she was diffident about singing alongside well known artists (She is a very modest young lady)and I wrote it to tell her that modesty is not always a handicap in competition with others of a more outgoing nature. I will try to attach it, so here goes... WITH A BIT OF LUCK IT SHOULD COME AS AN ATTACHMENT. Sylvie

[Contratrombone64]

Sylvie, your writing is wonderful. I particularly enjoyed Reflections, such a lovely, fluid style.

[Sylvie Pacey]

Thanks for your kind remarks re poems. A couple more you might like are attached. Sylvie

[marval]

Some very interesting birdsongs there.

Your poems are beautiful Sylvie, and I loved your Prayer for the world. You are gifted in your writing.


Margaret

[wljmrbill]

Sylvie: Lovely poems and some very truths lay within them too.. Thanks

[Contratrombone64]

Sylvie is, surely, a living treasure of literary merit.