“wilt thou be gone?
If it is springtime
or is early summer, and
you are near the southeast coast of Britain
maybe in a decidous wood, bushes and thickets,
or just a clump of tree, with densely tangled undergrowth
in the evening
leading on to dusk
when most birds have gone to roost
and you hear a bird singing in liquid phrases
interrupted with a few ‘choc choc choc’ notes,
unlike the song of any other bird music heard in this country,
that sounds like this …
Then you have heard the song of this bird.
Lucinia megarhynchos
a brownish bird
with dull buffy underparts.
at 6 inches just larger than a robin,
in Britain very shy and remain in deep cover
only if you are very very lucky you may catch a glimpse.
They arrive in Britain in late April
they sing till late May or early June
sometimes thoughout the day and well into the night.
They sing till their babies hatch, and then they take to teaching them to call.
Their songs
consists of phrases
and often repetitions of phrases,
exquisite in variety and tune, especially the deep, low sustained notes.
Come September, they are gone
back to mediterrainian Europe, North Africa and further eastward.
A bird known to many a poet
a bird in many legends and tales,
the Nightingale.
So if anyone would like to hear
the singing of one of natures virtuoso
you may not find them in “Berkeley Square”
find a bird reserve or nature reserve in the SouthEast.
If you have the opportunity, do it now,
who knows, one day they too may be gone, forever.
birds
bird songs
nightingale
environment
RSPB
bendtherulz said this on May 11th, 2007 at 06:56
oh oh…physically you might be going through a bad phase…however your spirit I find quite indefatigable and your words so much rapier edged 🙂
tk care ~
phosphorescence1001 said this on May 22nd, 2007 at 16:14
Hey Little indain, I think there is one that has built its nest on the roof of my bedroom…and all it ever does is cry, cry..cry…! For fucks sake…I trying to think here…Im a poet!!! 😉
little indian said this on May 22nd, 2007 at 16:54
Hi phosphorescence.
It must be baby nightingales.
I think you are lucky to have nightingales nesting.
If you are in Iran, its your national bird isn’t it?
phosphorescence1001 said this on May 22nd, 2007 at 17:27
No Funnily enough, I am in Birmigham…where the natrional bird is the the ‘Sharon’, who likes to dance around her handbag on a Saterday night on Broad street and has a very starnge mating cry..which goes ‘Oi Kevin..Oi Kevin…cool cool! But yes the bird on the roof had chicks, and didnt like my pussy cat who was always plotting how to get up their and eat it…hence the fact that is was always screaming rather than singing…but I havent seen any sign of it today…it must be gone!
little indian said this on May 22nd, 2007 at 18:05
Oops.
I apologise.
I know a blogger called Naj,
who has just returned from Iran.
And vaguely remembering the Nightingale
being the national bird of Iran, put 2 and 2
and not being too smart thought I had a perfect 5.
🙁
phosphorescence1001 said this on May 22nd, 2007 at 21:38
No sweat, Little Indian, people often ask me if Im Iranian..Iranians even start talking to me in Farsi…Turks talk to me in Turkish, the spanish talk to me in spanish…its all good… cuz I dont what there on about, but I like the international look…anyway keep up the good work, and I’ll visit again soon 🙂
Pinki said this on July 19th, 2007 at 19:24
This is a really sweet one!!
It reminds me of my IIT days when every morning i used to watch birds at powai lake side for hrs.It was then when i had started loving birds.
little indian said this on July 19th, 2007 at 20:14
Hi there,
Are you a birdwatcher too?
I got interested in bird watching towards the end of my Indian days. A friend and I went to Bharatpur, it was amazing three days.
British birds are mostly ‘little brown jobs’. So I will take my binoculars everytime I visit India, its lovely birds everywhere.
Thanks for stopping by.
It is great to have your thoughts and feedbacks.
Pinki said this on July 22nd, 2007 at 07:50
Hehe…my friend is very very fond of birds…she talks to birds as if they are childhood friends:) Well i also became bird watcher in her company and we used to go for morning walks nd watch birds for hrs.
Yes in india there are lovely birds!!
little indian said this on July 22nd, 2007 at 08:44
Sorry, its presumptive of me to think you reside in India.
But I am glad to meet another bird watcher, not an ususl pastime for most.
Do you have a blogspage?
Will you let me know if you have one?