In my younger days living in California, I loved hearing mockingbirds. We left the Golden State in 1992 and moved first to Oregon and then later to Idaho, and I haven't heard a mockingbird in those decades since. Once, briefly, I heard one sing when I was down visiting my parents a few years ago in Southern California, but that's it. They simply don't live in (or rarely visit) Idaho.
Or so I thought. But for the last couple of days, we've had an unknown bird singing its absolute heart out, right in a pine tree off our deck. It's lovely to hear, but I couldn't see it.
This morning I was able to spot it and photograph it from below.
Sure looks like a mockingbird. Here's a photo from the Wikipedia page:
According to this website, mocking birds have a "transient" presence in this part of Idaho, with no breeding evidence. They are definitely more southern birds, hence why I always heard them in California. However, this website points out they are definitely native to Idaho, though far, far more frequent in the southern part of the state and certainly not breeding this far north.
Whether or not I've mid-identified this bird, I must stay it's absolutely delightful to listen to. I hope it stays.
sure looks like one
ReplyDeleteLooks like a gray Catbird, a relative of the Mockingbird and it also mimics other birds.
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