Lake Umbagog.
1909
June 13 [June 13, 1909]
(No 2)
almost trying to listen to. It is only one bird, perhaps, out of a
dozen which is really a finished musician and he is worth
going a long way to hear. The Swainson's Thrushes, on the
other hand, all sing so nearly alike that it is difficult
to distinguish one from another and all are delightful and
impressive vocalists. There are two males that answer one
another across the placid waters of our little cove at morning &
evening and more or less through the day. Their rich contralto
voices fill me with utter delight and grow on me day by day,
they are so perfectly controlled and modulated and so full
of dignity and calm. When our only Veery joins in
the concert his voice sounds thin and trifling by comparison.
On the whole I am inclined to conclude that while a really
fine Hermit's song is more thrilling and elevating than that
of any Swainson's Thrush the latter is a better average songster.
Certainly I should prefer him to the Hermit and infinitely to the
Veery, to have near me all the time.
Thrush songs
compared.