Just a quick note this morning but I had to share it.
As usual, I started my day on my steps looking out over the lake watching the morning come alive; listening to the birds call; watching the egrets glide along the water looking for a place to feed; enjoying the cool air; and sipping my coffee.
There is a mockingbird that will sometimes land on my knee or on the little table next to me when I am sitting in my big chair by the feeders, especially if I have a bowl of mealworms. Today, he came and landed on one of the shepherds hooks and made some unusual calls. Then I made the little clucking sound that I make anytime the birds or squirrels come around. It is meant to be an identifying sound so they I am there (they don’t always notice me if I am still) and that they are safe around me. I have always done that and some of them respond to it – the squirrels will come get food; the birds just pose for me in a way.
The mockingbird was making a funny call and all at once I realized he was mimicking me and my little clucking sound. In a way it was funny; in a way it was something else. I don’t mean to be silly or anthropmorphizing the bird, but it was like we were communicating. Actually he was just doing his normal mockingbird behavior and mimicking as he is supposed to do. But I took it personally.
Back to my birds.