For the birds

Hi Folks. Having nothing better to do and being an amateur birdwatcher among other things, I wondered how many Irish tunes have titles mentioning birds. A few that came to mind were:

Geese in the Bog
Lark in the Morning
Lark in the Clear Air
Pigeon on the Gate
The Nightingale

etc.

I think the Clancy Brothers sang something they called “The Wren Song” and I’m not sure if The Eagle’s Whistle is Irish.

Just curious and if you have nothing better to do …

Mike

I don’t have anything better to do (IMHO…)

Morning Thrush?

Bird in the Bush
The Cuckoo Hornpipe
The Cuckoo’s Nest

The Pretty Blue Seagull

The Blackbird (a number of tunes with that name)

Cock o’ the North (or the Boreal Rooster for the squeamish)

Gander at the Pratie Hole

The Chicken That Made the Soup

The Leg of the Duck

The Gander in the Pratie Hole

The Lark’s March

Eagle’s Whistle is Irish.

Thrush in the Straw
Lark on the Strand
Chattering Magpie
The Green Linnet
the Yellow Bittern
Swallows tail Jig
Swallows tail reel
Gander in the Pratie Hole
Jenny’s Chickens (Scots)

there must be loads more

Crested Hens

The Grouse in the Bog (very similar to the Lark’s March)
The Woodcock
The Old Grey Goose
The Skylark
The Curlew
The Red Crow
The Leitrim Thrush

The Eagle’s Whistle is the marching tune of the O’Donovan clan, it’s hundreds of years old.

The Wild Geese

You’re right. O’Neill’s Listed the Woodcock, Wild Geese, When the Cock Crows, and that’s just the W’s.

Interestingly, Turkeys in the Straw is listed. Is that the same as Turkey in the Straw which I always sort of thought of as American country.

Mike

This is kinda off subject, but have you ever gone on your deck or favorite outside place to play and as your playing hear the increase in bird chirping as if they were trying to sing along with your playing, I have. I have also noticed that when I play a high D or my new High G, that more birds flock to my yard.

Just curious…is it my playing or could it be that I just overseeded my yard :laughing:

Well, I have a parakeet and a cockatiel and they sometimes get a little vocal when I play but they are quickly drowned out by the dog’s howling. I wouldn’t dare play outside for fear the neighbors might hear me.

Mike

I like ‘Bird In The Tree’…

I have three cockatiels and two parakeets-- you ought to hear the noise when I play my flute or whistle. And then the birds start in. :wink:


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CEARC AGUS COILEACH