Random Act of Metaphor: Brown Thrasher in the Brush
Hmmm, does the first splash of Warbler yellow signify the triumph of spring or does it perhaps arise from shades more subdued but no less elegant?
One of the delights of spring bird-watching is the spark of colour of the first Warbler of the season. Often it is the flash of daffodil yellow, accentuated by the chestnut cap, of a tail-bobbing Palm Warbler. Or perhaps the butter yellow throat of a sprightly Nashville Warbler.
I eagerly anticipate that flash of Warbler yellow in the budding trees. But I’m always caught off guard by the sight of the first Brown Thrasher. Its name suggests a nondescript and unruly bird. But brown does not do justice to the garb of this regal bird that happens to be a talented mimic.
The official description of its shade of brown is rufous which, while technically accurate, falls short of capturing the rich, orange-infused brown that distinguishes Thrashers. The combination of that earthy brown, contrasted with the heavily streaked breast, on a bird that measures nearly a foot, from the point of its curved bill to the tip of its upturned fan-shaped tail, is quite striking.
The Brown Thrasher is always a pleasant surprise for me when I spot it thrashing about in the brush. It is a random act of metaphor to remind me that beauty comes in many hues both bright and subtle and indeed is in the eye of the beholder.
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .
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