The Mocking Bird
The Mocking Bird, I am not sure how they came up with this name. Except the fact this bird here is in a small tree outside of our camper every morning. I don’t always think to look in the tree when I take my dogs outside in the morning, but when I get to close this tree, it lets out a shriek of a sound that makes me jump every time.
I believe this tree is hers and she doesn’t like me getting to close, maybe just with the dogs. I took my camera out and stood right under her and took these photos and it kind of looks like she is eyeballing me.
The Mocking Bird
34 Replies to “The Mocking Bird”
This comment didn’t give me the submission error, so will use it to comment on the other posts. Love the cat post, the coloring on that kitty was gorgeous. Absolutely love the Eastern Bluebird shots, a local individual has been working year after year to help bring them back here and now seeing the fruits of his labor as the population is definitely exploding. Lastly, as an avid photographer, I completely support your encouragement to print – not sure what the core of the effect is, but they just seem to have a better feel than simply looking at them digitally.
Thank you so much, I agree, those blue birds are so pretty and I only get to see them down south, well, I did see my first one in the quad cities and I was surprised to see it there. I love printing my own work, this photo was the first large print I did and it came out pretty good. I do sell prints on a site called Fine Art America, and someone bought a tapestry with my photo on it from Kepler state park in Iowa. I wonder how that turned out. I have never printed anything that big. 🙂
Looks like someone already commented above, but the name definitely originates from their ability to mimic other bird calls/songs. Usually just slightly off so you can detect the differences, but it is amazing how close they can get at times.
This is my second time seeing one and the first time it had a lovely song and this time it squawked at me like nothing I have heard before. But there are children that play outside behind us that are always yelling so I think it is imitating them. 🙂
That’s quite close up for this bird. I saw one at Council Point Park one Winter – first and only time I have every seen this type of bird. It wasn’t singing … it was the dead of Winter.
It was not scared of me at all, I was right underneath it.
I saw Dark-eyed Juncos the other day at Council Point Park. A group of them. They are ground feeders and stopped under the Safe Haven Tree. Very pretty dark gray with white fronts. Had the camera handy this morning, hoping to add another new bird to my Birdie List, but they were sleeping in I guess.
Oh, I love mocking birds, Sandra! How fortunate that you have one sharing your campsite!
I saw my first one last winter and now this one. I can walk right up to it and it just sits there perched in the small tree so I can see it real close. We don’t have these up in Michigan.
Lovely shots Sandra. The Mockingbird like many of our Aussie birds is a great mimic, using this ability to copy or mock the sounds of other birds to lure them or trick them, or just to enjoy the achievement.
Isn’t it something that a bird can do this. I never knew much about this bird until recently. Quite surprising what it does. 🙂
Of course the eye seems to be on you. So beautiful!
Thank you 🙂
Great pictures Sandra. Glad he stood his “ground.” One wonders what the other birds think of mockingbirds and their mocking. Flattered? Irritated?
I think it is imitating the children who play next door, they do scream pretty loud sometimes when plating. The mockingbird must have learned it from them.
Coming from south Georgia, Mocking birds are everywhere. My mother had bought a new and its sound when you locked was three short high pitched beeps. The mocking birds learned that sound and repeated it often. You had to pay attention to make sure you locked the door, regardless of what the birds said.
That is quite something, someone else mentioned that they learn sounds like that and I did not know that. This one sure spooks me everything with its high screech.
Indeed. Crafty too.
It always amazes me the songs a mockingbird will pick up. I’m not sure if this is true or not, but someone told me they they repeat the songs they hear most frequent as young birds. We’ve had ones that have added the song of the grey tree frog to their repetition as well as the sound of our elementary aged neighbor girl squealing. That one made us all laugh because our kids told her she squealed too much and the mockingbird only confirmed their opinion. The most aggravating was when a mockingbird picked up the song of a mystery bird that was frequenting our property. I kept trying to locate the mystery bird when I heard its song only to find it was the mimicking mockingbird. It took two years to finally pinpoint the mystery bird and find that it was a Great Crested Fly Catcher. I have to say the mockingbird does keep us entertained.
This makes so much sense Beth, there are some children that play behind the fence we are parked at, the there are some pretty high shrills coming from over there and that is what this bird sounded like when I got to close. I never thought that it might be imitating a sound. It made me jump for sure.
Lovely pictures! They’re called mockingbirds because they mimic (mock) the songs of other birds. And sometimes, car alarms and squeaking gates. And sometimes, humans whistling at them, according to a friend.
I have been learning that today. What an interesting bird to be able to do all that. 😊
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Thank you very much Francine 😊
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Very territorial birds. Especially during nesting.
That is what I was thinking, it is always in this one tree, I figured it must be her nesting spot.
Wow, I never knew what a mocking bird looked like. Very nice. Thanks for sharing!
You are very welcome, they are pretty birds.
Here’s a beautiful song, matching the beautiful pictures… 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGvyG3SOMQg
It’s soooo sweet and cute. ♥️♥️♥️♥️🥰🥰🥰🥰
They are pretty 😊😊