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The song of the Hermit Thrush is to me the most beautiful sound on earth. Â The state bird of Vermont is in residence from mid-April until the full moon in August. Â A four month visit to the Green Mountains sounds more like a part-time state bird to me, but I will take him for as long as he is willing to stay. Gladly.
I equate the sound of the thrush with longing. Â This association began in childhood on summer nights when my father worked late. I would try to stay awake to say good night to him, since he would be off to work again before dawn. Â But try as I might, some evenings I would drift to sleep with the thrush’s song trailing off into the forest. Â His last notes would end around nine in the evening, fading like a memory with the last light.Â
To this day I anticipate the sound of the thrush in April with a pleasurable mix of melancholy and thrill. Summers passing, years blurring – when I hear his distinct voice, I am an eight year old again. The elusive Hermit Thrush sings from the shadows… far back in the low-lit hemlock. When he returns I know that summer is near. Â Summer: a short season in another fast moving year. Like any other this will be a year of endings and new beginnings, of sadness and joy. The summers in a lifetime are finite. And there is something about this much-anticipated bird that makes me want to grab life… to grab the people I love and hold them so close that I can feel their hearts beating. Â Time is precious and life ephemeral. Â I can not shake the feeling that the Hermit Thrush is trying to tell me not to fall asleep. Stay wide awake. Â Hold on to each day of your life for as long as possible and drink it all in.Â
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Hear the Hermit Thrush and see more information about this bird at: Â Whatbird.com
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