With the coming of March, the mockingbirds (at least the ones in Southern California) begin their insistant, persistent singing. I love them. They can mimic any song. I have heard mockingbirds do perfect imitations of human whistles and cell phones. They sing all day. And they sing all night, too. This latter fact, for some people, is a problem.I once had a dear friend who had lived for years in one of San Diego's beach communities. To chase a career change, she moved inland to a neighborhood called Scripps Ranch. She moved from the home of seagulls into mockingbird territory. One morning shortly after she moved I got a desperate phone call from her.
"You're an environmentalist," she said, "what bird was making that unholy racket all night long?"It was at this point in our friendship that I discovered that my sweet, young friend could curse like a sailor.
"Oh," I said, "that's a mockingbird. Isn't that a beautiful song they have?"
"I can't sleep. Don't they ever stop?" she said.
"Not really until September."
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