And……..

THE SONG OF THE BUSH!

The carolling of the Australian Magpie is the sound many Aussie’s associate with the Australian bush. These lines from an old Aussie poem by Frank S. Williamson describe it nicely:

“Just to hear the magpies warble in the blue-gums on the hill,
When the frail green flower of twilight in the sky is lingering still,
Calling, calling, calling to the abdicating day:
O, they fill my heart with music as I loiter on my way.”

On the Quiet Side of the Great Lake there are lots of trees and we have many magpie families. This year there have been many babies and it is a delight to watch their diligent parents raise them.

The other morning I was watching some of the magpie parents teaching their new fledglings (i.e. young magpies that are growing up).  Magpie fledglings are still a brown/grey colour, and have not yet taken on the distinctive black and white of the adults. They run about on their long legs exploring and have loads of curiosity.

This particular morning the adults began giving their young a lesson in carolling and so I was treated to a concert of non-stop carolling and warbling magpies as the juniors tested their voices encouraged by the dulcet tones of their parents. Magpies are very musical!

Their tones were so beautiful they brought joy to my soul, as this little guy above carolled to his siblings and his parents in the trees around him. Their birdsong seemed so filled with goodness, it brought to mind a scripture from the Bible.

May your words today be filled with encouragement and love.

Have a blessed day,

Marilyn

Acknowledgements: Backgrounds of banners from Graphic Stock. Photos are all the work of the author.