Songs of Birds~Evoking Emotion, Memory

For me it's definitely the Wood Pigeon's three coos.

When I was young, I would lay in bed on a crisp autumn morning, fog so thick so you couldn't see your hand before your face, the call of the Wood Pigeon was always there as a comforting reminder that all was well. 

(Of course my dad hated them, because they would eat his young veg). 

I'm very pleased to read your replies here..thank you, and revisit your birdsong inspirations ~ Ray, yes... the Kookaburra in the forests of Kuranda, where, after dark, I would take my 5 year old son on nightwalks to hear the birds and enjoy the scent of exotic blossoms and the gum leaves rustling. I had thought of the dove too, Diana, a resonating, comforting sound..and yesterday, a pair of resident Canada Geese flew overhead, and soon skeins of Tundra Swans and Sand Hill Cranes, Snow Geese heading for the far north will lace the sky.. whilst all around this cabin are your busy robins Krissy...and Varied Thrush, Stellar Jays and countless tiny wrens..

Ray, If you want to hear the Kookaburra again~  I have a copy of Australian Bush sounds.recorded by David Stewart, Mullumbimby, NSW 2000

As a bird watcher for most o my life, I could keep adding to this thread.

Just a little background for those of you who don't know, I am English born and bred, moving to the States at the age of 35 (or thereabouts).

I miss the dawn chorus. There is not other way (well one, but we won't go into that ) to wake up happy, than to hear the birds trilling through your open window. 

I love the repetitive song of the Mistle or Song Thrush, and let's not forget the harsh rattle of the Blackbird's alarm call. I've tried to catch that one on tape, and haven't yet succeeded. 

I always think of my childhood when I hear the sound of the American robins.  We had loads of them where I lived in PA.  To see them now, I'd have to travel up north to Flagstaff.  They're not desert dwellers.  I have one of those cheesy Audubon wrist watches with the bird sounds, and when I first heard the robin on it, I was flooded with memories.

I love the sound of Lesser Nighthawks as they fly around in the dark.  Sue, you mentioned the dawn chorus - we have it here from one single bird, the Northern Mockingbird.  When they are vocal, their range of calls is huge.  You would think the tree had 20 different species in it.  And they love to do it from the very top of the trees as the sun's coming up.  (I say they're praising God, lol).  With a good pair of binoculars or spotting scope, you can watch them vocalize - it's very cool.  They're not singing right now, they're defending their nests.  So I've been able to photograph them the last few weeks when they alight on the patio to threaten my cat Russ.  They also dive bomb him as he's walking around the house.

We also have 3 different dove species here in summer - mourning, whitewing and Inca.  They each have a distinctive call.  I'm pretty hopeless identifying birds by call, but the doves I can.  Here's the bird call link I sometimes use.

http://www.naturesongs.com/

Oh thank you for that Ruth!!!!!!  I found the Mourning Dove and I remember that from childhood and I would sing back to it and I always was tickled pink when I thought it was answering me!!!! 

And yeah...I still do it now!!!!!! 

You guys are turning me into a bird watcher now!!!!!