Subject: Mockingbird in Anchorage
Date: Aug 3 19:49:23 1998
From: duncanweber - duncanweber at seanet.com


Tweets,

A friend of mine in Anchorage, Alaska sent this email to me and gave me
permission to forward it. In view of recent discussion about
Mockingbirds in B.C. I thought other Tweeters might be interested.

This sighting occurred on 7/30 I believe and a more recent message
indicated it was seen again on Sunday.

Ileen Weber
Seattle, WA

>Yesterday morning, we were sitting at our kitchen table having breakfast and
>I noticed some activity in top of the tall spruce near our house. Redpolls
>were divebombing an unusual bird that I thought at first was a northern
>shrike. Before I could get a good look at it, it flew away, so I went out
>the front door with binoculars to see if I could find it. It was sitting in
>the top of another tall spruce singing a repeating repertoire of songs and
>noises, mimicking blue jays, cardinals (L recognized tbat one!), junco,
>squirrel, and others less distinguishable. It was a mockingbird! Thousands
>of miles north of its usual range! I called the Audubon birders hotline and
>other local birders. This is only the second time a mockingbird has been
>sited in Alaska! The other time was 2 years ago in winter in the same
>neighborhood! I couldn't believe it, but there it was singing its little
>heart out. How very lonely he must be... How lovely to see and hear a
>mockingbird again though.
>
>So, that's the story.
>
>Best wishes,
>Newt
>
>Pamela K. Miller, Program Director
>Alaska Community Action on Toxics
>135 Christensen Drive, Suite 100
>Anchorage, Alaska 99501
>(907) 222-7714 Phone
>(907) 222-7715 Fax
>
>