Wildlife enthusiast and writer Frank Tunbridge shares his latest story with SNJ readers.

The Thunderbird, by Frank Tunbridge

Jason and Molly were caught out by the sudden change in the weather, the blue sky and bright sunshine once so inviting was pushed aside by dark grey clouds rolling in from the eastern horizon.

Then suddenly from far away, like the growl of an angry lion came a deep rumble of thunder.

It was the summer holidays, a time off from the humdrum of schoolwork, a time for new adventures and fun!

Jason, along with his sister Molly and Scamp, their wirehaired terrier had ventured up into the Tanglewood, a dense mass of trees, ferns, rocks and mystery, the sort of place that could hide many secrets, and also attract a couple of kids with time on their hands, during the summer break.

They were both clad only in light summer clothing, T-shirts and jeans, as the day had been warm and sunny when the pair had left their house in the village of Castlemoor, which rested on the borders of Somerset and Devon.

Every county in Great Britain contains some sort of Tanglewood, and Somerset was no exception! Foxes, badgers, rabbits, deer and squirrels, they all resided there.

Also the birdlife in many different forms weaved and flitted through the trees.

Scamp, who had been nosing around the base of an old oak tree, came running back at the first sound of the thunder.

“I think the rain will start soon” said Jason, as the approaching storm intensified.

Sure enough large raindrops began falling, at first pit-a-patting on the leaves, then suddenly changing tempo into a monsoon like downpour, splashing down onto our three adventurer’s heads!

“Let’s shelter in this old log store” exclaimed Molly, “come on before we get soaked”.

The old log store was a lean-to building composed of split logs used to protect Ash and Hazel poles produced from coppiced trees, and used for oars, garden tools and fencing.

Though now long abandoned, the shelter served them well, as the rain hammered on the roof above them.

Suddenly three fingers of neon blue lightning cut through the grey clouds followed by a crash of thunder which made the sheltering trio nearly jump out of their skins.

“Wow” said Molly, “It’s like someone’s angry with us for coming into the wood”.

“It’s OK” replied Jason”.

“It’s just that the storm is right overhead, we will stay here until it passes”.

The storm continued to flash and crash about them for a further ten minutes, then rolled away, and eventually blew itself out, and the blue sky returned.

“Well at least we kept dry” said Molly, “Let’s go and see what damage the storm has done, come on Jake”.

Molly and Scamp ventured out from under the old log shelter and were soon making their way down one of the footpaths that criss-crossed Tanglewood.

Fortunately, these travel ways all linked up to one main entry/exit area not far from the village.

Jason soon caught up with Molly and Scamp who were now standing beside an oak tree that had fallen across the track, uprooted by the storm, its roots like twisted fingers still grasping for the soil from where they had come.

The limbs of the fallen tree were dry and cracked, and the main trunk, massive with rough grained bark, looked like a gigantic crocodile barring their path.

“Poor tree” exclaimed Molly, “It must have been too old to weather the storm”.

“Yes” said Jason, as he jumped up onto the fallen tree, “It must have been very, very old, as dad said that an oak tree is young when 100 years of age”.

Suddenly scamp barked and looked up as a giant shadow silently passed overhead in a gap in the trees.

“Did you see that?” shouted Molly, “what was it?”

“Most probably a glider from the flying club at Mullen Hill” replied Jason.

“No” said Molly “I saw it flap its wings like a bird, a very large bird indeed, like a giant eagle or even bigger”.

“We don’t have eagles around here” said Jason, “but it may have escaped from a zoo or wildlife park”.

“Let’s get back home and check it out, come on” replied Molly.

Tanglewood was aptly named, as on their return journey home, both children often became caught up on the numerous bramble bushes and low branches that appeared along the way.

“Well we both saw it, and it was very big” said Molly as they searched the internet for something of similar appearance.

They found birds with massive wingspans, like the wandering albatross, and cranes and pelicans, both with wings up to three metres across.

Also eagles including the white tailed sea eagle, looking like a ‘flying barn door’!

But none compared to the giant bird that Jason, Molly and Scamp had seen in the sky over the tree tops of Tanglewood.

That evening over the dinner table, Jason and Molly told their parents what they had seen in the sky over Tanglewood.

“Most probably a buzzard” said their father, “they can look very large and eagle like when on the wing and soaring overhead”.

“No we have seen buzzards before” replied Jason, “this bird was at least three times as large again”. “Maybe it was a Thunderbird that you saw, quipped their mother.

“The native North American Indians believe in them, even to this day, even though they are thought of as a mythological bird by science, similar to the phoenix”.

With that exciting information in mind, the two children expanded their search on the internet, looking under ‘Thunderbird’.

“Hey listen to this” exclaimed Jason, “it says here that the Thunderbird was named such because the flapping of its giant wings caused the noise of thunder and fierce winds, also sparks from its eyes would create the lightning flashes during a storm”.

“Wow” said Molly, “all that happened just before we saw it fly overhead”.

“But it’s all a myth” replied Jason, “or is it?”

“One way to find out, we wait until the next big storm and then go up again into Tanglewood” said Molly.

“Right let’s do it, it sounds like something out of Jurassic Park” added Jason.

“Can’t wait” said Molly, “How about you Scamp?” as she looked down at the little terrier, who was wagging his tail, as if in anticipation of the forthcoming adventure.

Since his retirement - old Gabby the gamekeeper had spent much of his spare time up in Tanglewood, as it was a second home to him, and he was a close friend of Jason and Molly’s father.

In the past old Gabby had shown the two children where they could find a fox’s earth, and if they remained quiet and concealed, watch the cubs playing around the den in the spring.

Also of the wild deer who spent their days resting high up in the wood, hidden, until dusk when they ventured out to feed.

Occasionally he would reveal to them the tracks of wild boar, who, when foraging, passed through the wood using their tough rubbery snouts to plough up the leaf litter in their search for food.

Our three intrepid adventurers, Jason, Molly and Scamp came across old Gabby in Tanglewood one afternoon, and relayed their story of the giant bird that they had seen the week before.

“It could have been the lost eagle that you saw” he said, “one escaped from a local falconry centre six months ago, a Golden Eagle it was I believe, never recovered, still out there living wild”.

“Leave it be I say, b’aint causing no harm to anyone, best off being wild and free, just like me” he said, with a big smile on his face.

With that knowledge in mind the trio set off once again, going deeper into Tanglewood.

They followed the same route as before, often going up through the tree canopy hoping to catch another glimpse of the gigantic bird that they had seen before on the day of the big storm.

Apart from two buzzards soaring above the trees with their mewing calls the sky was clear.

“Look at those buzzards” said Molly, “they look so small compared to our big Thunderbird”.

“Well it may come back with the next storm”, replied Jason.

“Let’s go and see what else Tanglewood has to offer in the meantime”.

The wood was full of birdsong and Scamp amused himself by chasing the squirrels that abounded there.

They scurried up the trees, only to reappear and scold the little terrier with whirring and clicking sounds, like a furry wind-up toy.

Not far ahead the path split, with one route ending up back near the village of Castlemoor and the other path leading deeper into Tanglewood.

However, Scamp had already decided the way to go, so Jason and Molly bounded after him, going deeper into the wood with every stride.

After travelling along the now overgrown pathway for ten minutes or so they suddenly came upon a sort of log cabin, but it was only small, not much larger than their big garden shed, which in some ways it resembled.

It was constructed all of wood, and parts of it were supported by still living trees, a sort of super den in the wood.

It had a vegetable patch next to it, and a few chickens were pecking and scratching in the soil outside the door.

“Wow, look at that” said Jason to Molly, “I wonder if anyone is at home”.

Just as soon as the words had left his mouth, the door of the cabin opened and a man appeared, he was dressed in an old tweed jacket and blue jeans, and was wearing a dark green hat.

“What do you want” he said in a gruff voice.

“Why have you come to this part of the wood?”

“Sorry” replied Jason, “But we just followed this path, which led us here, I do hope we are not trespassing”.

“Well, not really, but I don’t see many people in my part of the wood you see” replied the man.

“Let me introduce myself, my name is Hodgepodge Hoe, well, that is what they call me. I used to be a gardener to the big house in the village for many years, but they sold up and moved away. Now the new people don’t want old fashioned gardeners like me anymore, they get these flash, fancy new garden service firms to do the work”.

“Why do you live out here all on your own?” asked Molly.

“’Cos I like the trees, the birds and the animals in the wood” replied Hodgepodge Hoe.

“Got everything I need here you see, only go into the village when necessary”.

“Sorry I was a bit grumpy at first” he said, “but I don’t trust strangers in the wood, you see, but you kids seem okay to me, are you looking for something, or just out for a walk?”

“Er, sort of both really” replied Jason.

Suddenly, just like before, the weather changed, the wind blew through the trees, and the clouds changed to a dark grey colour, and then from afar the rumbling of angry thunder could be heard getting closer all the time.

“You all better come and shelter in my wooden house before the heavy rain comes” said Hodgepodge Hoe, “and the thunderbird may be on his way as well”.

“What did you say?” asked Jason, “What Thunderbird?”.

“The big old bird that flies overhead every time we get a heavy storm, of course” replied Hodgepodge.

“Well that is what we saw the last time there was a storm over Tanglewood, but no one believed us” said Molly.

“I’ve seen it a few times now” replied Hodgepodge, “big and silent like a giant shadow, as soon as the storm clears away so does the big bird, lots of strange things happen in this wood believe me”.

The two children, Jason and Molly, plus their lively little terrier Scamp stepped inside Hodgepodge Hoe’s little wooden home just in time as the rain started to fall, beating a loud tattoo on the roof above.

“Wow” exclaimed Molly, looking towards an old fashioned wood burning stove at the rear of the cabin.

“My Gran has got one just like that; she can cook on it as well”.

“So can I” replied Hodgepodge, “it does some lovely egg and bacon meals for my breakfast”.

Just then a flash of neon lightning cut across the grey sky, followed five seconds later by a crash of thunder which rattled the windows of the little wood cabin.

“I wonder if the Thunderbird will make an appearance” said Hodgepodge, “he normally does, let’s take a look outside, the rain seems to have stopped for the moment”.

Another rumble and grumble of thunder tumbled across the still grey sky, but this time it seemed less frightening, as it made its way westward.

After a few minutes the storm had passed, and the dark clouds departed making way for the blue sky that followed on.

“There it is” exclaimed Molly excitedly.

“Look over there through that gap in the trees, it looks bigger than ever now”.

Jason and Hodgepodge gazed in the direction that Molly was pointing to, now also aware of the giant bird, flying over head.

“If only I had brought my new camera along” said Jason, “I may have been able to get a photo of it, and then everyone would have believed us, even Mum and Dad”.

The big bird cruised over the tree tops once or twice, and then flew off towards the Castlemoor direction.

Jason and Molly had a better view of the creature now, and could see its broad wings and the colour of metallic black/green reflecting in the sunlight from its feathers.

“It’s like a massive eagle, but different” declared Hodgepodge suddenly.

“Could be a voucher, some are even bigger than eagles”.

“You mean a vulture, Mr Hodgepodge, not a voucher” replied Jason.

“Well I’ve always called them voucher, you see,” said Hodgepodge, “you young people can call them vulture if you want, but I likes the sound of voucher, you see”.

Hodgepodge Hoe was certainly different from many other country folk Jason and Molly had met in the past, but they couldn’t help but like his unusual style of living, and the funny words that he used.

As the giant bird winged its way towards the village Molly spotted what looked like a white collar around its neck.

“How long has the bird been coming to Tanglewood?” asked Molly.

“Well I’ve seen it about five times in the past two years” replied Hodgepodge Hoe, “but nearly always just before or after a storm, that’s why It’s called the Thunderbird, I look forward to seeing it now, It’s like a friend to me”.

“Well thanks for letting us shelter in your home” said Jason, “and also for telling us about the Thunderbird” added Molly.

“ I still think it’s a very big black voucher,” said Hodgepodge, “’cos after a big storm I sometimes find young birds on the ground, blown off of their nest by the high winds you see, so I reckon big bird goes looking for those to eat you see, just like a voucher!”.

On the way back home Molly turned to Jason and said “I think Hodgepodge could be right you know, did you see those young pigeons on the ground back there, they were blown from their nests by the storm”.

When the pair walked into the kitchen, their mother looked up and said “I’ve got some news for you, I was looking through some old local newspapers and found this”, she said.

‘Giant Andean Condor escapes from Bird Park’ – read the headline.

The report then went on to say how the condor, a form of South American vulture had a 3.5 metre wingspan, making it one of the largest flying birds in the world.

It then stated that it could most probably survive in the area quite well as it ate weak and dead animals and birds, but was not a threat to the public.

A photograph of a condor accompanied the report which was dated two years previously.

“Well it looks like Hodgepodge really was right” exclaimed Jason, “mystery solved”.

“It’s still our Thunderbird” added Molly.

“Let’s hope it stays around Tanglewood”.

“Hold on, who or what is Hodgepodge?” asked their mother.

“Something else you discovered in Tanglewood I suppose, you kids and your imagination!”