Sunday, April 20, 2008

Trouble on Mockingbird Hill

See the forensic evidence in the photo. One of our two mockingbirds got done in this past week by a predator. I think a mockingbird is too big for a neighborhood cat to kill. I do think that the coopers hawk that landed on the basement railing came back to claim his prey. We had really enjoyed our pair of mocking birds. The male mockingbird has at least 15 different bird songs in his song book and I think the female had started to make a nest for laying eggs this spring. Now I don't know what will happen. Will the widow/widower take a new mate? (I don't know which one got taken out by the coopers hawk---the male or the female.) Time will tell I guess. In the meantime I have just a few feathers left to remind me of my avian friend.


3 comments:

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Jack & Joann: Nature does have it's ups and downs in the survival for the fittest. There will be smarter birds that do survive to carry on the species.

Anonymous said...

Yes, life goes on. The mockingbird will get a new mate but it might take a day or two.

The site shows how the feathers are taken off. Sometimes by a Coopers Hawk and sometimes by a Sharp Shinned Hawk. Cats usually leave wings and head and feet but the hawks will almost always take them away with them.

Thanks for the visit, and yes, I have already taken some photos showing the cloned plants over 20 years or more.

brian stout said...

i'm not sure how big this bird was, but the outdoor cat that lives on my front porch has caught quite a few birds, including mockingbirds... she loves to leave them directly in front of my front door as a 'thank you' for feeding her... =)