Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Exit the mockingbird...enter the robin!

Last summer was noisy....a mockingbird started singing at 4:00 a.m. It went on all summer. He mimicked other birds, cats, and sang long arias in the dark.

This spring started out with the mockingbird, too.

Last week I realized that the singing started at dusk and continued until dawn. It was NOT a mockingbird's song anymore. It was the
same song over and over all night. It sounded just like a robin.

And then I saw it... just a few feet outside our window on the peak of my neighbor's roof. It was was barely sunrise and the music had been going on all night. It WAS a robin.




But robins don't sing at night....or do they?

In an article in the The (New London) Day just a few days ago, it states that robins have never been nocturnal singers until recently. Within minutes of investigating on the Internet, I discovered info here. Apparently they have been just as noisy in the UK...you can look it up.

To paraphrase, they sing all night because of artificial light and noise pollution during the day.

I never thought that I would want the mockingbird back! It sang from 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. May through August. But the robin sings all night the same song over and over! (I should add that it is a pretty song...the first few hours.)


Poor robin! Poor me!

Have great weekend....hope it is quiet...

as always,

enjoy the day!


6 comments:

Nancy said...

Oh, my goodness! First, the art work is just so cute!!! However, I'm sure the repetitive song makes for a sleepless night.

My former next door neighbor in Florida had an owl in one of the huge oak trees that hooty hoot hooted for months. He started to get really grumpy about it! :-)

Beth said...

Your post and your artwork bring a smile to my face :-)

Beth

April said...

"American robins have always been known for their early morning and late evening caroling. Few sounds are as rich, clear and beautiful as the song of the robin." Well- that's how the article starts out! I see you agreed for the first couple of hours! HAH! I can laugh here but I bet it's not so funny on your end- Poor, sleepy thing! Is his song in your head today? That actually is sad the poor robin cannot compete with all the noise during the day so he has to sing at night. I hope his true love is awake and not fast asleep- ignoring him. Your drawing is PERFECT!!! DARLING!!!

Flutterby Patch said...

There always seems to be one bird with a louder voice and a more boring song than all the others. For us its a chaffinch (not sure if you have those in the States). It is the most monotonous bird I know. I wish it would get a sore throat for while.

AngelMc said...

~{:-s)

oh no!!! can you turn on some white noise?

Lena said...

Oh goodness. I didn't know about that change in Robins. I love their song, but that would become tiresome in a hurry during the nightime. You may need to wear earplugs Helen. 'Course I'm not sure that I could sleep with those either. Maybe a "white noise" machine would work? When my neighbors have a noisy party, I turn on a fan that I have. Then I hear that white noise and it drowns out their sounds.