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STORM COCK

 

 

Beak gaping - head held high,

he hurls his heart

at the leadening sky.

 

No tremulous songster this,

no shy diva,

but a full-throated singer -

 

- lionized.

 

The gathering storm,

thunderheads boiling,

tension mounting,

 

while his small form,

bravely defies

stabs of white lightning.

 

Wild aria rising-

 

                rising -

 

                        rising -

 

                                - a throat rattling crescendo.

 

 

 

The 'Storm Cock' is, of course, a Mistle Thrush. They really do sing from the top-most branch of the tallest tree that they can find and their song is both loud and wild as they try to sing above the storm.

 

◄ STORM COCK

FAITH WITHOUT HOPE - - -OR CHARITY ►

Comments

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Flyntland

Thu 6th Oct 2022 17:30

Stephen Thank you for reading and for your kind comment,

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Stephen Gospage

Wed 5th Oct 2022 07:05

A beautiful description.

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Flyntland

Tue 4th Oct 2022 17:04

Thank you John and Russell for your comments.

Thank you also Massoud for reading and liking, it is greatly appreciated.

John I think the tree top position suggests territory - but why during a storm?
The mistle thrush is quite an aggressive bird, we were constantly amused at the way 'our' Mistle thrushes routinely chased magpies away from the feeding grounds while making fearsome rolling growling sounds in itheir throats.

Sadly 'our' mistle thrushes are now gone together with turtle doves and visiting linnets.

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Russell Jacklin

Tue 4th Oct 2022 13:14

I'm a great lover of Nature poetry, read John Clare often, I would not have known this was a mistle thrush but I was keen and all set to go find a Storm Cock, very nice

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John Coopey

Tue 4th Oct 2022 12:14


Excellent, Flyntland. It begs the question “ What physiological imperative compels it to do this?” Most birdsong is about territory or alarm or mating. This doesn’t fit with any of these.

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