Sam and his dad went on a trip to a coastal forest. It was a grand national forest, full of tall green trees and deep brush. Sam had a clear goal for the day. He wanted to find a famous bird. The bird had bright red wings and a yellow tail. "Will we see it today?" Sam asked his dad, bouncing on his feet.
"It is very hard to spot," his dad said. "It is typical for the bird to hide deep in the leaves." Sam felt a bit nervous about the hike. The woods felt so dark and wild. "Is it dangerous in here?" he asked, looking at a thick clump of ferns.
"No, it is very safe," his dad told him with a kind smile. "We will just stick to the natural dirt path. You will be fine." They stepped off the grass and went deeper into the enormous woods. The trees blocked out much of the sunlight. Sam kept his eyes wide open. He looked at various bugs and plants along the way, hoping to spot a flash of red.
The walk was a gradual climb up a long, tall hill. Sam stopped to drink some water and rest by a large stone. Suddenly, he heard a strange sound. It was a sweet, musical chirp. Sam froze in his tracks. Was that the famous bird?
He slowly looked up into the thick branches above his head. A bright little bird was resting right on a thin branch! Its red wings looked so bright where a bit of sunlight broke through the leaves. To Sam, the sight of it felt so magical. He could not believe his luck.
"Look at that," his dad whispered. "You found it all by yourself." Sam grinned a huge, proud grin. He watched the bird puff out its chest and sing another musical song. Finding the shy bird was a joyous thing. It was the very best part of their coastal trip!
