The Bird on St. Marks

Starting about a month ago, I started hearing a bird singing from a tree in the middle of the night on St. Marks (btwn Carlton & Vanderbilt). Since that night.. I hear this bird every night, starting a little after midnight.

It's the strangest thing.. and is commented on by anyone who happens to be here at that hour. Is anyone else kept up by this bird? Does anyone have any idea about its strange pattern?

It is probably a Northern Mockingbird, which sings in the night. I have seen Mockingbird nests (with babies!!) on Bergen & Washington so this is probably your guy. They don't seem to migrate in the winter. This used to be a southern species but like the Cardinal has moved north with warming climate.

This species is called Nightingale in Jamaica W.I. because it sings at night.

In the summer after dusk you can sit on the bench at Grand Army Plaza and listen to the local Mockingbird sing.

/world birder

that sounds beautiful

Subject: Where have all the flowers gone?

I used to see so many humming birds in my backard and at the BBG. They buzzed around a very large wisteria vine in my backyard. Not anymore though. I suspect that the malathion sprayings had something to do with it. Or the Brooklyn rent went way up and they moved further into Midwood.

You can recognize Northern Mockingbirds by their singing patterns. They imitate local birds and other sounds, so you can't tell them by the particular notes. But whatever sound they make, 'teweet', or whatever, they repeat 5 to 7 times, and then move on to a new sound, and repeat that 5 to 7 times.

FYI, prior discussion of the bird noise on St.Marks:

http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=285

Subject: Re: Where have all the flowers gone?

That Yarn Guy wrote: Or the Brooklyn rent went way up and they moved further into Midwood.

LOL