Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!mephisto!prism!fsu!sandee
From: sandee@fsu.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Northern Mockingbird (I think)
Keywords: Beginner/Help/Identify
Message-ID: <832@fsu.scri.fsu.edu>
Date: 29 May 90 16:58:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: fsu.832
References: <976@soleil.UUCP>
Reply-To: sandee@fsu.scri.fsu.edu.UUCP (Daan Sandee)
Organization: Florida State University
Lines: 31

In article <976@soleil.UUCP> mcaloon@soleil.UUCP (Barbara McAloon) writes:
>Feeling nature's call around 2:00 - 3:00 a.m., I head to the bathroom.  About
>this time, I can hear what I am guessing is a Northern Mockingbird.  What I
>am hearing is a variety of bird calls in random order; hence, my humble
>guess. I cannot see this bird at all, only hear its sounds.  My neighbors tell
>me that what I am hearing is bats.  

Bats make squeaky noises, like running a nail over a window pane. Also, it's
so high pitched that older people can't hear it. It's in the same range as the
whine coming out of the back of your TV set. (Now I wonder - modern TVs seem
to make less noise. Is that because they're modern, or is it because I'm getting
older ??)
Mockingbirds make lots of weird noises, but it's always musical.
>
>At times, I have opened the window and made my own sounds -- "cheep, cheep,
>birdeeee, birdeeee, birdeeee" and to my amazement, it repeats what I say.

Great! There are more birds that imitate (like starlings), but if the sound
it makes is musical, then it will be a mockingbird. Also, it's the only bird
I know that will sing more or less around the clock (and in Florida, more or
less all year ; in NJ you would hear them from April to September, I suppose).
>
>I would appreciate receiving your comments and experiences.  Thank you in
>advance.
>
Don't mention it. Hope this makes you sleep better at night.

Daan Sandee                                  
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute    (904) 644-7045
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052                       sandee@scri1.scri.fsu.edu