more thoughts as follow-up to earlier post...

...and furthermore, no other State has adopted the uniquely elegant Varied
Thrush. Oregon's is Western Meadowlark, a choice which strikes me about
as unsettling as our current American Goldfinch especially in the mountains
and wet western lowlands.

So, let's get a Washington Varied Thrush movement going before Oregon
feels prompted to change it's mind as well. Varied Thrush is extraordinarily
elegant, widespread, and common enough, yet not too common and just subtle,
furtive, and mysterious enough as to not be seen all that often by most, but
most Washingtonians would recognize it and most could not help but not be
touched when it suddenly appears out of the shadows. Afforded a viewing
is always a special treat no matter whether it's for the first time or how
many times one sees one, even if the same birds over and over and over all
winter long. For most of us, late winters in the lowlands, back yards,
greenbelts, and any Spring / early Summer time hike or walk in the woods,
mountains, and wilderness, how can anyone not hear or ignore it's signature of
variable pitched tones ringing from parts unseen and not known exactly or
even know what that 'noise' is exactly. You don't have to see it, you just
hear it, you identify that 'sound' with place, and that's quite enough to
know that you are somewhere, some geographic area (Washington) that is
truly special and just plain spiritual. Right now and as winter ebbs, our
Varied Thrushes are already tuning up for Spring, always a long evolving
process, seemingly clumsy and off key at first but improving with each passing
day, a process that never ceases to inspire and lends such good cheer as it
evokes an uniquely special kind of karma that can't be matched anywhere else.


As a teenager from Missouri on a family trip to northern California now
many decades ago, the very first Varied Thrush I ever heard were those
mysterious ringing tones from the dark deep Redwoods of northern California. It
was yet to be a few years before I ever laid eyes on one. I have never
forgotten that moment so long ago, and yet, that singular moment, even if
having to settle for it sight unseen, remains just as freshly lodged in my
memory and soul as if it had happened for the first time just a few seconds
ago.


The only other species that evokes similar feelings is the similarly
possessed Brown-backed Solitare of the western highlands of Mexico and Central
America where Jim Conrad wrote in a blog of the Brown-backed Solitare at
dawn _Borderline Cloudforest at Yerba Buena Clinic_
(http://www.backyardnature.net/mexbirds/15yerba_.htm) : "When singing finally ends, the landscape
suddenly feels empty and less dramatic and meaningful than just moments
before. The Brown-backed Solitare defines this land." This exact same
beautiful sentiment could just as easily apply to the Varied Thrush in Washington!
Varied Thrush is exactly the right bird to represent the proud State of
Washington.

Sorry for the passion, but, just can't help it. Now, I'm going to grab a
cup of coffee and go sit out on the back porch for awhile and just watch
and listen to those Varied Thrushes as they begin to ring in a new day and
root around in the shadowy shrubbry.

Richard Rowlett
Bellevue/Eastgate