[TN-Bird] My old mockingbirds
- From: Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 14:30:00 EDT
My dear old elder pair of mockingbirds raised their babies across the street
in the usual tree, fed them peanut butter, jelly and fruit from my
"Smorga-bird", brought them here to feed themselves and finally dispersed them
on their
unmerry way by banishing them from said feeding area several weeks ago. I
noticed that my "old couple" seemed rather bedraggled and tired looking from
their
ordeal. They continued to come when called and continued to gobble up the
peanut butter and jelly, etc. One began to look sleeker of feather and had a
little more "zip" while the other still had the look of a truly aging bird.
About a month ago, only one bird came to my call. It was the healthier looking
one. It ate sparingly, then went to the top of a utility pole in front of the
house where it has seemingly taken up "station." It stays up there and sings
loudly imitating every bird it could ever possibly have heard. It is also
very cantankerous. It chases everything that comes near the top of that pole.
Every now and then, it does its little fly-ups from its perch then drops right
back down to sing. Flycatching, perhaps? It still comes when called, eats
and returns to its perch to sing its bloody little heart out. It looks good
and
healthy now, but I think it must be lonely. It does chase all the other
mockingbirds (its neighboring nesters) away as it and its mate have always
done.
They all manage to feed here, but the old patriarch/matriarch rules the roost,
so the others have to sneak their food for themselves and their babies.
Meanwhile, my dear old bird eats, sings and guards its perch atop the utility
pole.
The question is: Is this aged mockingbird grieving for a lost mate and
trying to sing it back home, or is it already trying to sing a new mate into
its
territory?
Missing my mocker,
Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
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