with Austin Middlemiss
I COULD not have a look back at the birds that have stood out for me over the years without mentioning the thrushes.
There are plenty of fellow fanciers who never stray far from their own section at a show (except the bar). I've always gone around every section (including the bar of course) and taken a keen interest in the native and foreign softbill sections in particular. The decorated cages all added to the appeal and of course there were often some really exotic exhibits on show. I've gazed in wonder at sunbirds and hummingbirds, been blown away by niltavas, robin chats, all manner of redstarts, etc: a blaze of sparkling colour.
Yet for some reason I was always drawn to the arguably more muted species of thrushes on display, both native and in
