Blackbird singing in the dead of night,
Take these broken wings and learn to fly.
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night,
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see.
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Blackbird fly,
Blackbird fly into the light of a dark black night.

Blackbird fly,
Blackbird fly into the light of a dark black night.

Those words above are some of my favorite song lyrics and I am not even a huge fan of The Beatles.  Seeing Eurasian Blackbird, the bird whose song is featured in “Blackbird“, every day I was in Kazakhstan was a real treat.  I couldn’t help but hum the tune of “Blackbird” virtually every time I saw one! And though I never heard one singing in the dead of night I still enjoyed the one occasion when I did hear a blackbird sing (though mostly I just saw them foraging for food).  Anyway, after that roundabout introduction I hope you enjoy these shots of a male and a female Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) I got on the lawn of the hotel in Almaty, Kazakhstan.  Shots of the male, actually a black bird, come first, followed by the brown female.

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My trip to Kazakhstan was made possible by the wonderful folks at Swarovski Optik who sponsored the trip not only to draw attention to their marvelous optics but to the fact that Swarovski Optik is, with the RSPB, the Species Champion for the Sociable Lapwing, a critically endangered species that breeds almost entirely in Kazakhstan. We here at 10,000 Birds, the only blog designated a Species Champion by BirdLife International, salute Swarovski Optik‘s commitment to conservation.

To learn more about 10,000 Birds’ commitment to conservation through BirdLife International’s Species Champion program and what it means to us at 10,000 Birds (or to donate to the program through 10,000 Birds) just click on the nice Species Champion logo to the right.