Catbird

Catbird

Last week was all about the turtles; this weekend was all about the birds. During the past few weeks, I was wondering when I would see the catbirds again. Lo and behold I saw them this weekend at Connetquot. These birds have a very understated appearance, bluish gray coloring with a black cap, and even their usual song is rather quiet and mellow and just barely bordering on musical, but they have big personalities, and are especially known for being interested in what's going on around them. The catbird is described in one of my favorite bird books (A Natural History of American Birds of Eastern and Central North America by Edward Howe Forbush) as being a busybody, consumed with curiosity. "Let anyone but imitate the scream of a frightened or wounded bird, and all the catbirds in the neighborhood will appear in full cry; some will project themselves into the very eyes of the offender, as they protest with open mouths and hanging wings." That pretty much sums up the catbird character. One birder told me that in the beginning of spring he enjoys seeing the catbird, but after a couple of months he has grown tired of them. Like most assertive characters, they can get on your nerves at times, but for now I welcome the catbirds' return.