StrangeRanger: Music

A month ago I posted about our recent trip to the Zoo. I had been smitten by a particular bird in the aviary. This guy:

We had been unable to find him on any of the ID cards and were rather frustrated. He and his compatriots were delightful. They have a lovely song and weren't shy singing it.

I came home and did some on-line research and came up with....nothing. The only results I could get from my image searches were birds that looked nothing like our little dude. Google, my faith in you has been shaken!

I started typing in descriptions, hoping to luck into a good result and.... it worked!

May I present Garrulax Leucolophus, the White-crested Laughingthrush!

how are ya how are ya how are ya?

These birds are native to Southeast Asia, from the Himalayan foothills of India to Vietnam and Singapore. They are a very gregarious and vocal species and have even been know to hit up random passers-by for a snack.

And now we all know. What a relief!

You should go to the wiki page linked above. It has an audio file of the Laughingthrush's song. I think you'll be as charmed as we.

Early every February, on a Saturday, ChezRanger does its taxes. Saturdays afternoons are usually restful around here. We get our chores and workouts done and chill to the afternoon broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera. I'm not a huge fan of opera, or a serious serious opera maven like my sister-in-law, but I do enjoy most of what's been broadcast, and the intermission commentary always teaches me something. I find that I like the more lyrical operas. I really enjoyed La Fille du Regiment and Le Comte Ory, which I hadn't ever heard all the way through (or, if I'm to be honest, even heard of...). There are the biggies, like La Boheme, Tosca and others which have delighted me. A View from a Bridge I just couldn't listen to.

Anyways, there we were at the dining table, all set up, papers in order, pencils and wits sharpened, ready to compute. Maddie sat at the table with us, ready to check our math.

Subtract! Borrow from the tens place! Carry the eleventy! Bring down the six! If you clowns don't do the math right there'll be no money for treats and turkey! Subtract!