A couple days ago I returned to California -
North of the Bay Area where they received a couple life saving showers earlier in the year.
Let me tell you, there is quite a contrast between the Berkeley Hills and upper Napa/Sonoma counties.
Not that constricted growth isn’t visible everywhere, but that’s a different post.
To the birds.
I’m no bird watcher {hell, I just realized by pal Jim Steele would be a great one to ask,
unfortunately he thinks I’m a bad guy so won’t talk to me, but that’s a different story too}.
Now, I have paid attention to birds and their patterns by simple observation (not supported by any serious study or note taking)
Still, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that pre-dawn the birds awake with a cacophony of chirping heralding the coming dawn.
It’s the camper’s alarm clock.
I also know that birds must sleep, because other than some restrained owls, I don’t hear them at night.
Thus imagine my confusion the past couple nights, particularly last night -
as I tried sleeping through that pre-dawn wakeup cacophany all freaking night long.
I mean ALL night long!
Starting well before midnight and continuing virtually nonstop, hour after hour after hour until dawn finally arrived
and they seemed to run out of steam, though only for a short nap,
the place is still alive with birds calls as I write this (though not near as insistent as last night).
May gal and I figure it must be matting season for someone considering what else would justify all that effort.
Any one have any idea, who was keeping us up and if our conjecture is correct?
A couple days ago I returned to California - North of the Bay Area where they received a couple life saving showers earlier in the year. Let me tell you, there is quite a contrast between the Berkeley Hills and upper Napa/Sonoma counties. Not that constricted growth isn't visible everywhere, but that's a different post. To the birds. I'm no bird watcher {hell, I just realized by pal Jim Steele would be a great one to ask, unfortunately he thinks I'm a bad guy so won't talk to me, but that's a different story too}. Now, I have paid attention to birds and their patterns by simple observation (not supported by any serious study or note taking) Still, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that pre-dawn the birds awake with a cacophony of chirping heralding the coming dawn. It's the camper's alarm clock. I also know that birds must sleep, because other than some restrained owls, I don't hear them at night. Thus imagine my confusion the past couple nights, particularly last night - as I tried sleeping through that pre-dawn wakeup cacophany all freaking night long. I mean ALL night long! Starting well before midnight and continuing virtually nonstop, hour after hour after hour until dawn finally arrived and they seemed to run out of steam, though only for a short nap, the place is still alive with birds calls as I write this (though not near as insistent as last night). May gal and I figure it must be matting season for someone considering what else would justify all that effort. Any one have any idea, who was keeping us up and if our conjecture is correct?http://www.kcet.org/news/redefine/revisit/wildlife/listen-to-the-mockingbird.html They are vocal all night, too. LL
http://www.kcet.org/news/redefine/revisit/wildlife/listen-to-the-mockingbird.html They are vocal all night, too. LLThank you Lois, that sure sounds like it could be the answer. I'll have to ask around to see if I get local confirmation. Cool article:
"These relatives of thrashers maintain a winter range in Northern Mexico and the Caribbean, throughout the southern United States from the California coast to Virginia, and up the East Coast to southern New England. … (even as far north as Hudson Bay)" "The parents ('mockers') can even solicit help from outsiders. Unrelated adult mockers do often help defend other nests, and a persistent alarm call from a besieged mocker can recruit several other adults to the area to harass the stubborn cat, or whatever." "And throughout that year, mockers will do the other thing they do that attracts the ire of city dwellers, especially at 3:00 am: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-mOsezFIgw …" "Some years ago, in my old neighborhood in the Bay Area, a neighbor inadvertently trained a generation of local mockers to imitate his overactive car alarm. He bought a new car without an alarm, but for the next few years you could hear the mockingbirds' imitation persist, slowly gaining improvised passages and becoming modified here and there, other bird's songs being folded into the auto security mix. By the time I moved away several mockingbird generations later, the original car alarm song had been amended with with Stellers' jay squawks, the descending whistles of our local white-tailed kits, and clicks sounding remarkably like a barn owl's. …" by Chris Clark http://www.kcet.org/user/profile/cclarke
Well Lois, I haven’t had a chance to ask around, but I’m increasingly sure you nailed it.
First nights observations were from sleepy memory rather than premeditated observation.
Now I’ve been paying more attention.
Mon night started around 1:30am
Tues night started around 2:30am
(I’m wondering if the big moon has something to do with getting them going. I’m curious to see… er hear, went it starts tonight.)
Turns out to be way less birds than I imagined, one dude starts up with a wide variety calls making it seem like more.
(That wide variety of calls is what’s convincing me Mockingbirds is the answer.)
Then a couple others do join in and keep it up till dawn.
We’ve resigned ourselves to closing the windows and having ear plugs ready.
BB guns will not be called for 
Well Lois, I haven't had a chance to ask around, but I'm increasingly sure you nailed it. First nights observations were from sleepy memory rather than premeditated observation. Now I've been paying more attention. Mon night started around 1:30am Tues night started around 2:30am (I'm wondering if the big moon has something to do with getting them going. I'm curious to see… er hear, went it starts tonight.) Turns out to be way less birds than I imagined, one dude starts up with a wide variety calls making it seem like more. (That wide variety of calls is what's convincing me Mockingbirds is the answer.) Then a couple others do join in and keep it up till dawn. We've resigned ourselves to closing the windows and having ear plugs ready. BB guns will not be called for ;-PI had one persistent one that carried on night and day. I finally took a hose to it several times. It worked! No guns required. Lois
Yeah, and the water hose is a lot more fun.
Trees kind of like it too.
A couple days ago I returned to California - North of the Bay Area where they received a couple life saving showers earlier in the year. Let me tell you, there is quite a contrast between the Berkeley Hills and upper Napa/Sonoma counties. Not that constricted growth isn't visible everywhere, but that's a different post. To the birds. I'm no bird watcher {hell, I just realized by pal Jim Steele would be a great one to ask, unfortunately he thinks I'm a bad guy so won't talk to me, but that's a different story too}. Now, I have paid attention to birds and their patterns by simple observation (not supported by any serious study or note taking) Still, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that pre-dawn the birds awake with a cacophony of chirping heralding the coming dawn. It's the camper's alarm clock. I also know that birds must sleep, because other than some restrained owls, I don't hear them at night. Thus imagine my confusion the past couple nights, particularly last night - as I tried sleeping through that pre-dawn wakeup cacophany all freaking night long. I mean ALL night long! Starting well before midnight and continuing virtually nonstop, hour after hour after hour until dawn finally arrived and they seemed to run out of steam, though only for a short nap, the place is still alive with birds calls as I write this (though not near as insistent as last night). May gal and I figure it must be matting season for someone considering what else would justify all that effort. Any one have any idea, who was keeping us up and if our conjecture is correct?They're probably debating what's to be done about the water crisis in California. Let them be. They will likely come up with better solutions than Congress.
They're probably debating what's to be done about the water crisis in California. Let them be. They will likely come up with better solutions than Congress.Why blame Congress? We put the jack asses in there… or should I say are allowing a few uber-rich masters of the universe to do that for us. Besides, We The People are the ones who don't take any of this climate… drought business seriously while we continue stumbling forward shrouded in our Hollyworld bubble. http://ktla.com/2015/04/07/water-use-increases-by-2-3-percent-in-southern-california-amid-call-for-conservation/ Actually, there is some progress: http://projects.scpr.org/applications/monthly-water-use/
10:30 AM, sun is streaming and that, those few?, mockingbirds are going strong.
But then, last night they were fairly quite.
We’ve put up, it is what it is. Too bad the tree they like is right outside our room.
Although a couple nights they sound a block or two away.
The weirdest thing is there’s no schedule.
First night I thought it was way before midnight - but guessing.
After that I would pay attention and check the time.
2nd night 1:30am, second night 2:30am, next night an hour later.
then it was early again.
Probably had to do with the waining moon, I remember in da day on the land,
moonlight was a time to get out and explore, experience,
since the moonlight turning the world into a fantastic flat 2d image.
And the Sierra’s back when I was young, indescribable but etched in deep.
The high country glowed with light, man you could read stuff.
And that light isn’t lost on animals of all types.
OK back to the mockingbirds, second night 2:30am, next night an hour later.
then it was early again.
A couple nights not much at all.
Other nights non stop cacophony again.
Sometime they go silent with day break,
other times, like today hear them all morning, rested up from a semi-quiet night, i guess.
I’m convinced it’s less than half a dozen, if not a couple, but what do I know.
And the different sounds, even mimicking other sounds after they happen,
like listening to them practice a new tune.
It has been another interesting experience to become acquainted with.
Although believe me I am looking forward to going home and a nice good night of sleep.
quiet :red:
see ya, got some hell to raise 
I think a bird nests in my chimney in the spring. It sings up a storm at odd times. Twice, in the past 4 or 5 years, one has gotten inside my house. I had to catch it each time and throw it out. I don’t know if it was the exact same bird. If so, it doesn’t seem very smart.
I think a bird nests in my chimney in the spring. It sings up a storm at odd times. Twice, in the past 4 or 5 years, one has gotten inside my house. I had to catch it each time and throw it out. I don't know if it was the exact same bird. If so, it doesn't seem very smart.guess you don't use the fire place much these days. :lol:
I think a bird nests in my chimney in the spring. It sings up a storm at odd times. Twice, in the past 4 or 5 years, one has gotten inside my house. I had to catch it each time and throw it out. I don't know if it was the exact same bird. If so, it doesn't seem very smart.guess you don't use the fire place much these days. :lol: Yeah, ambience is not a big priority for me.