[texbirds] Tropical Mockingbird and a Catbird

Texbird folk,

 

My family had a chance to see/photgraph a Gray Catbird in Port Arthur yesterday morning.  There could have been 2 of them-it disappeared and then showed back up from a different direction pretty quickly.

 

 

The Tropical Mockingbird was right where everybody said it would be.  I wouldn't even post, but I haven't seen a report of it feeding babies.  I first saw a Northern going to a nest, about 15 feet up, in a tree to the right of the entrance.  It is right next to the first side trail to the right.  The Tropical showed up shortly after.  Both birds were carrying insects to the nest, and I once heard babies when they approached the nest.  The sounds could have been from the Orchard Oriole nest that is close by, but I don't think so.  I couldn't see the babies in the nest, so have no idea how many, how old, or if they might be Cowbirds even.

 

During the time we watched, the Northern seemed more productive in it's efforts to bring food to the nest.  It made about 3 times more trips to the nest while we were here. 

 

Neither adult bird was singing.  I am curious if anybody has heard the Tropical singing, and if so, does it sing songs from the Yucatan?

 

 

Mike Pease

McKinney, Collin County