Mockingbird

Seldom have I had the opportunity to take a photograph of a bird so close and so sharp. Mockingbirds are fairly bold birds, not spooked by humans. This bird was particularly bold or young and stupid. This was down the river and it was sitting at eye level in that tree I have mentioned in other posts. The one that you wouldn't give a second glance but where I have seen more birds for the first time than any other tree I know.

It is a little unusual that the mockingbird was perched here because one of the traits that you can take to the bank about this bird is that they will always look for the highest point in the surroundings to perch upon. That is one of the characteristics about them that you can use an identifying them even if they are not close enough to be sure about it. Another identifying trait is the nervous flicking of their tail. Once every few seconds, they will twitch it to the right or to the left. They are in a class of birds called mimids and that is another identifying feature. They can sing for long periods of time, changing their song every four or eight notes and never repeating. It can drive you to distraction if they happen to be doing it outside your bedroom window while you are trying to get to sleep.  Yes, they do sing at night.