The Song Birds collection

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
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

New member
Songbird collection

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.:D:D:DSylvie
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
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

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Regulator
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

Member
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

New member
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!
 

greatcyber

New member
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

New member
The Sobgbird collection

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... W:rolleyes:ITH A BIT OF LUCK IT SHOULD COME AS AN ATTACHMENT. Sylvie
 

marval

New member
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
 

greatcyber

New member
Oh Sylvie,

Thank you so much for sharing those with us all. I downloaded them to share with my own mum. I second CT's sentiment above. Thank you for being part of our "family" at MIMF.
 

greatcyber

New member
didn't realize I forgot the attachment

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.

edited to add the attachment
 

Sylvie Pacey

New member
The songbird collection

:)Thank you all for your very kind remarks. You have encouraged me to keep up my creative work. I cannot do anything of that kind to order - as is described in my latest piece. (Completed just now and inspired by your comments.) I promise not to submit any more unless you want me to at some time. Do you other creative folk find the same way of working I wonder? Sylvie
Chasing the Muse.
A fleeting thought, ephemeral as any shooting star
Ignites within my busy brain - "Now stay just where you are"
Diminishing intensity, slippery as an eel.
I catch before it vanishes into the ethereal.
The mundane tasks of every day, recede with no import
Until each word, slipped into place reveals what I have sought.​

Unbidden notes beseige my mind, insistent and so strong.
Haunting until given form - and melody is born.
Teasing out the harmony, rejecting what is wrong,
Urging me to add the words, until I have a song.
Only when the spirit moves, I find that I can write,
Thus the Muse is captured at last in black and white.​

Cascading notes, allied with words suffuse the air around
Gradually the rainbow hues of colour in the sound
Make images of many things appear within my view
Landscapes, butterflies and flowers, a placid sea of blue.
Take up the brush, fill it with paint - lay in a wash with care.
Completed now, the picture that my muse and I can share.​

Sylvia Pacey 2009​
 
Top