The mockingbird

[vaneramos]

Just one more thing about Rochester before I go to bed. While packing on Thursday I decided not to take my binoculars, knowing even as I did I would regret it. The birds have just settled onto their nesting territories, and we would be outdoors for part of the weekend.

When Danny and I walked out of the Rochester train station on Friday afternoon I heard a mockingbird singing somewhere nearby. Southwestern Ontario is on the northern edge of their range, the population has been shrinking, and I haven't seen one since my childhood. One used to visit Mom's garden every spring, but not for many years now. Friday I only heard a scrap of song, but it's similar to that of the grey catbird and brown thrasher, both familiar to me, so I recognized it immediately. All three birds mimic other songs and sounds, but the mockingbird is the most skilled. I walked toward the lilac bushes where I'd heard it and stood listening for a few minutes, but it never appeared or made another sound.

Today while Danny and I were waiting with Gary in the train station, the mockingbird appeared on a post across the tracks. I went to the window, then went outside. For several minutes it fluttered around near the ground looking for food. I longed for my binoculars, but the bird's white wing flashes and tail borders were obvious.

Northern mockingbird

It was enough. It was like hearing a loved but long-forgotten melody.

Comments

[dennisatl.livejournal.com]

I have enjoyed mockingbirds where I have lived in Texas and now in Georgia
and more recently now in GA the brown thrasher. At the first apartment where I lived in Atlanta a mockingbird took up a street lamp for his stage and seemed to be singing all the whole night... more sweet than annoying really, but I just wondered how he kept at it so long?
glad you get to know them up there too

[rsc.livejournal.com]

They're common in (at least southern) New England, and at certain times of the year we do get one in Gloucester (MA) that sings all night. This has happened for enough years in succession that the charm has kind of worn off.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I don't remember ever hearing them at night. I think the ones we saw in my mother's garden were only passing through. We often had brown thrashers nesting in the shrubs by the side of our house though.

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

Now I'm singing.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Cheers!

[wonderboynj.livejournal.com]

I was at my aunt's house the other day, and she has 4 feeders in her yard, and this year we have spotted several birds that haven't been seen before.

I identified it in her Audubon book as a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, and it was beautiful. Made me think of you though, since I figured you'd have known what it was immediately.

Two days later, ruralrob posted pictures of one in his journal. How cool is that :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, isn't it a beauty? Sometimes I see them in Guelph, but up at the cottage they're more numerous. They're beautiful singers, too.