"Dear Little Creature Of Nature"

Siskins are quite common birds from the finch family but I've never seen or photographed one before. This image isn't great but I had to blip this female as it's a first for me. I was attracted by its call, a wheeze a bit like that of a greenfinch.

Whilst researching I came across this song by Rachmaninoff, On The Death Of A Siskin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGgXcTJ-M3A He adapted it from a poem by Zhukovsky.

In this coffin lies my faithful siskin!
Dear little creature of nature,
From earth's peaceful province
He flew away like a fleeting dream.

He lived in this world for love.
With a tender little song of greeting
He'd return tender affection
And fly into my friendly hand.

But it can be frightening to love:
A little winged friend was given to him;
Rather than survive his beloved,
He hid in the coffin when he lost her. 

The siskin is known for devotion to its mate and this one dies of heartbreak when he loses her. :( It was quite usual for Russians to keep songbirds in cages as it was here too at the time. ("I walked behind wiv me old cock linnet.")