Listen to the Mockingbird
We have had a bachelor mockingbird singing his almost continuous song outside our window for about a week now. Our sleeping has not been the best during this time, but I am unsure whether it is truly the mockingbird that is keeping us up or some other issues.
It is amazing to hear such a complicated and on-going song as the typical mockingbird. In an attempt to attract a mate they often mimic the sounds of their environment. Here in urban Los Angeles this might include the "caw" of a crow, the twittering of other birds or even the repetitive call of the, all too common, car alarm. Lying in bed last night listening, I heard these sounds and many more. At times I found myself chuckling quietly as I noticed this noise or that that had crept into the birds song.
We have mockingbirds quite frequently in the neighborhood, but this has been the first one to pick a territory so close to the house. I suppose he will eventually attract a mate and give up his singing for other pursuits.
As I was looking for further information on mockingbirds, I came across this page, Listen to the Mockingbird, written by Diane Porter in 1998. It offers an interesting method of dealing with the night time song of mockingbird, since there is little you can do to avoid it. Sometimes the best way to make some thing less annoying is to go deeper into it. Listen to the mockingbird song, more and more closely and you might find yourself lulled to sleep like the author. While whippoorwills taught her this lesson, it should apply equally well to the mockingbird.
You can find more Mockingbird information via this Google Search.
It is amazing to hear such a complicated and on-going song as the typical mockingbird. In an attempt to attract a mate they often mimic the sounds of their environment. Here in urban Los Angeles this might include the "caw" of a crow, the twittering of other birds or even the repetitive call of the, all too common, car alarm. Lying in bed last night listening, I heard these sounds and many more. At times I found myself chuckling quietly as I noticed this noise or that that had crept into the birds song.
We have mockingbirds quite frequently in the neighborhood, but this has been the first one to pick a territory so close to the house. I suppose he will eventually attract a mate and give up his singing for other pursuits.
As I was looking for further information on mockingbirds, I came across this page, Listen to the Mockingbird, written by Diane Porter in 1998. It offers an interesting method of dealing with the night time song of mockingbird, since there is little you can do to avoid it. Sometimes the best way to make some thing less annoying is to go deeper into it. Listen to the mockingbird song, more and more closely and you might find yourself lulled to sleep like the author. While whippoorwills taught her this lesson, it should apply equally well to the mockingbird.
You can find more Mockingbird information via this Google Search.
posted by Douglas at 12:54 AM
1 Comments:
Up here in Michigan, it's the starling with the mimicking song.
I was quite startled last summer to hear a duck in my sycamore tree. That particular bird has returned again this year, and I knew him from this whimsical note.
*quack*
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