Birds in The Scent of Water

Elizabeth Goudge's list of British birds

Nightingales are in the thrust family and have a distinctive song. Photo from WoodlandTrust.org.uk - Hear the Nightingale’s song here

“I like old things, like the tree in Nightingale Wood…”

The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge, ch 9

Full-hearted birdsong

Just outside of the east window of the shed is our garden pond and bogs. While I was snapping photos of The Scent of Water in the shed last week, I noticed some birds bouncing around the pond and stopped to take a look. It was a family of House finches!

House finches (US birds) taking a rest on the stones between the pond and bog near the potting shed.

We have so many nesting birds around our garden—around 20 different types including woodpeckers, hummingbirds, wrens, cardinals and finches. And all of these nestlings are beginning to emerge and are bouncing around the garden calling repeatedly to their parents.

It seemed like such a nice coincidence to find this little family while reading The Scent of Water. The wild garden, the rising green, and the burgeoning of life everywhere fit this book. It is a story that re-enchants the world we live in, helping us to see each flower and root as a way back to the goodness of life in the midst of suffering. Like The Rosemary Tree, this book reminds us that we have the choice each day to enter into the life of the world around us.

House finch (US bird) taking a rest on the stones between the pond and bog near the potting shed.

Common British Birds

Here follows an introduction to many of the most common birds that Goudge mentions in The Scent of Water, and indeed, in many of her stories:

“She had awakened at down to find the full moon still shining and the owls calling, but right up in the dark yet shining sky a lark had been singing. Night and day had been perfectly balanced, greeting each other. She had know that it would be a special day in Appleshaw…”

The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge, ch 7

Skylarks