Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: spatsycat on July 17, 2009, 01:25:22 AM

Title: Another Scarborough Mockingbird?
Post by: spatsycat on July 17, 2009, 01:25:22 AM

Late this afternoon, I saw and heard one on Ashtonbee Rd., west of Warden. There's a bit of scruff bush on the south side behind the Staples back parking lot and it was singing away to beat the band and seemed to be eating some kind of berry. Couldn't get close enough to tell what kind of shrub but there are several bushes there.
None of the calls sounded like mimicry of any bird I've ever heard - nice trills followed by squeaks and gurgles.
Quite the neat experience!
My guide books say they can have quite a range but this seems too far away from Progress to be the same bird.

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Post by: cloaca on July 17, 2009, 07:44:05 PM

You're right that they're likely not the same bird.  Mockingbirds are not uncommon in the GTA now, despite what the older field guides will suggest.

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Post by: Kin Lau on July 17, 2009, 08:51:00 PM

I've had mockingbirds in about a dozen different places in Scarborough.

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Post by: Bluffs Birder on July 17, 2009, 10:52:14 PM

I've also seen many in the southern Scarborough region.  There are several along the top of the Bluffs and also a few down at Bluffer's Park.  Another place to watch for them is beside the train tracks.  They seem to prefer the open fields or anywhere similar that they can find.  In 2007 I had one stay the winter at a house across the street from me and it came to my backyard a few times to observe what all the fuss was about around the bird feeders.

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Post by: Brian Bailey on July 17, 2009, 10:59:38 PM

I work a couple of blocks west of there, and we've had resident mockingbirds for at least 5 years.

As others have suggested, they were uncommon in Toronto 15 years ago, but they are widespread now.

BB

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Post by: spatsycat on July 18, 2009, 12:46:31 AM

Oh you lucky Scarborough birders! I would love to have one so close by - just to listen to that voice ....
Guess they wouldn't be too interested in the Yonge/Eg area - certainly not much 'open' around here!

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Post by: BirderBill on August 11, 2009, 09:06:19 AM

I am certain I saw a pair recently at the "Distillery District".
I was looking for the Orioles I was hearing, when these two "other" birds showed up!

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Post by: spatsycat on August 11, 2009, 11:10:17 AM

Gee, another reason to visit the Distillery district and a natural one at that!