Evening star., 1948-05-03
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceneH

Sound of the first wood thrush song is
more thrilling to many people than the sight
of the first robin
What fine sound 1t is!
This year in our neighborhood the first
thrush was heard April Is, In the early morn
ing
He had not been there the day before.
The big oaks drew this one as all the
others over the years
In a few days there were several heard
and their songs were welcome filling in
between the robin roundelays and the sharp
call of the titmice
Thrushes are great singers always the same,
but varied slightly from one specimen to
another.
Unlike the mocking bird, which uses a roll
ing, always changed song, the wood thrush
sticks to his original invention.
The song is double talk" of the best sort.
two notes harmonizing. The song pattern is
fixed, but it always strikes the listening ear
as beautiful.
How does it happen that one never tires
of this pattern, whereas even the best of
man-made melodies grows tiresome?
The answer like so many answers must be
withheld from us. That seems to be part
Of natures way
If it were not so, human composers would
draw up one song. and mankind would be
delighted with it forever
AS 1t Is, we have constant succession OF
popular melodies, symphonies, ETC. The pro-
grams of the orchestras, violinists, singers
each program is changed, endessly, because
the people do not want to hear the old things
time after time.
What is the situation in bird music?
Here song is established that always,
century after century. strikes the listening
human ear as divinely established, exactly
right, always pleasing.
There is no need for the wood thrush to
vary his program.
His program is always the same-and always
acceptable
human being playing one tune on a flute
would drive listeners to distraction
When bird does it, every listener is pleased
The wood thrush is no longer bird Of the
deep woods.
Nowadays, 1t is a suburban bird, preferrng
the wooded sections, but at home near the
dwellings of men.
Unlike its cousin, the hermit thrush. the
wood thrush no longer sticks to the deep
forests.
1t not only comes to the home yard. but it
flies right down to the middle of it, and often
nearly gets run over by the lawn mower
Shady hooks appeal to it. There it looks
for food.
There is no use in trying to attract this one
to feeding station, for the food 1t likes is
not found in such devices.
But it will come for raisins sprinkled in the
grass. And it will accept a bit of ground meat
at nesting time, some for itself, most for its
babies.
The wood thrush is reddish brown on ton
gray-white breast spripkled with dark wedges
1t Is trim bird, one peculiarly neat at all
times.
It's department. if bird may be said to have
such thing, is admirable. Indeed, few other
species excel it in this respect The longer
one watches the wood thrush, the more he
admires it. if that is possible.
It's clear eyes, direct gaze. and sensible ways
combine with its fine feathers to make it a real
prince of the bird world.
1t remains here well into October, and grows
increasingly tame, so that during its last few
weeks with us, 1t becomes so mild that it often
allows one to come within two feet Of it.
The brown thrasher somewhat resembles the
wood thrush. but is so much larger that >it
should not be confused with it. The thrasher
Is sometimes called the big thrush" but it
is no relation.
No bird. properly speaking could be related
to the wood thrush except another thrush.