Mocking bird? On my yard, southern MD

[elleng]

[sinkingfeeling]

1. How long is the tail? Can't tell from the front.

[elleng]

2. Here:

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Sure looks like one to me.

[Arkansas Granny]

4. Certainly looks like a mockingbird. They're handsome birds.

Is it unusual to see them where you live?

[elleng]

8. HAPPY to see this today; had been frequent visitors past years.

Maybe I should put water bath out again???

[WheelWalker]

10. Never seen one here in Oregon. You've

given me the vision to see. Blessings.

[soothsayer]

5. Was he making fun of you?

[elleng]

6. Maybe! I was 'hiding,' inside my house!

[shenmue]

7. HA!

[elleng]

9. Nikon does a good job, even through windows.

[Marie Marie]

11. I love Mockingbirds. One day, after washing my car, I was running a squeegee

over it to remove the bulk of the water. It was making the predictable squeaky noises and before long, I spotted the Mockingbird who was imitating the squeaks, Went on for about a minute. Another evening around dusk, we heard one begin to "talk" and we counted about 10 different calls he kept repeating. We used to have so many of them in our neighborhood but now, we are lucky to spot 1 or 2 every couple of months.

[elleng]

12. WOW!

Will try to encourage them to come around, and then listen to them; did have a few, last year, but don't recall their 'talk.'

[Marie Marie]

13. That's why they call them Mockingbirds. They imitate other birds, cats or even squeaky

wash lines. They are hard to attract as they don't eat birdseed. I read that they like dried raisins (aren't all raisins dried??) and I've tried putting some of those out for them but they never touched them. I think they eat insects. Today I saw one in my crabapple tree picking at the dried crabapples but I think that is because of the snow and no other food source.

If you ever find a way to attract them, please let me know. They are my favorite bird.

[elleng]

14. Only way I'd 'attract' them is via water 'bath,' but as surrounded by creek and river,

don't know why they like my feeble bird bath!

[Marie Marie]

15. Maybe if you add a little wine??

[elleng]

16. VERY little, as 'my' wine ran out due to covid,

and not available now.

[Marie Marie]

17. I understand completely - Cheers!

[Laurelin]

18. They eat insects

We used to get them at the bird bath and pond but not the feeders. Maybe try mealworms or, I don't know, gardening for pollinators to increase your insect population?

When I was a kid we had mockingbirds that nested on our chimney. We all played piano and "our" mockingbirds sang classical music.

[TuxedoKat]

19. I think so

They are pretty common in MD where I used to live. One of my happiest memories was lying in bed at dusk and a Mockingbird was singing right outside for several minutes. He went through his repertoire of several songs. I don’t have any in my yard although I keep planting fruit trees and bushes that I hope will attract them.

[BlueinFW]

20. I'm feeding a mockingbird

During our severe snow and ice episodes in North Central Texas Robins and Waxwings ate all of the Youpon berries and I felt sorry for our berry eating mockingbird. I soaked dried apricots and chopped them up into little pieces. The bird devoured them. Now, I put out orange halves and sunflower chips. I make a little sound that tells him that breakfast is served and he zooms in for his treats. He is not bothered if we are near, unusual for a Mockingbird. Soon he will be eating garden bugs.

[elleng]

21. SWEET!

[flibbitygiblets]

24. That's awesome!

Welcome to DU!

[yellowdogintexas]

27. Fellow Fort Worther here. We have at least one mockingbird which I have not

seen but have heard.

We also have woodpeckers around here - I can hear them but have yet to see one

Welcome to DU

[Donkees]

22. Had a mockingbird visitor that was almost like a pet. He loved peanut butter sandwiches ...

with jelly. He would often peer into the front porch windows, waiting for his sandwich He was around for several years.

[elleng]

23. WOW!

Had a few past years drinking from my bird'bath,' but they're not around so much now; did catch one on same tree as cardinal today.

[Donkees]

25. It's been many years since I've heard mockingbirds singing at night, but catbirds still nest here

and they are as friendly and curious. During the coldest days this winter, there were four pairs of cardinals visiting the feeders at one time. Years ago there could be as many as a dozen pairs of cardinals appearing at one time.

[NewHendoLib]

26. we have all three of the mimics in our yard now - Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Catbird

Amazing vocalizations from all of them. The Thrasher, in particular, is a gorgeous bird