Gray Catbird "hidden" inside my blue spruce tree

Gray Catbirds are skulkers, staying in the dark recesses of thickets they can be difficult to photograph. They are beautiful singers that have one of the most complex songs. They also have am repertoire of vocalizations, including a number of what I can only categorize as "sweet nothings" that is used between family members. I know this because a pair nested under my dining room window several years ago and I was able to watch them as close as 8 inches away (through blinds) and listen to their vocalizing for hours each day.This catbird was singing softly from an internal branch about 8 feet off the ground inside my 40 foot tall blue spruce (fortunately these trees often have a big open space inside with bare limbs as shown in these pics). I approached very carefully--slowly and quietly so as not to intrude (yup, that's the key--DO NOT INTRUDE, not only is it considerate but it pays off with good views and good pics). Apparently this bird thought it was well hidden by the spruce branches through which I was viewing it so it continued singing while I went into the house for my camera, returning to take several pics including some when my flash went off (I can't seem to figure out how to turn my flash off) from only about 8 feet away (peaking through the outside branches). The flash is captured in a reflection in this bird's eye in both pics. SeEtta

Catbird crazy

My neighborhood Gray Catbird returned for a songfest this morning and I must admit I am crazy about this species. This guy sang and sang and sang--more than 15 minutes with few brief interludes. I got the top photo of him in song, perched high in my honey locust tree.

I also caught the catbird during one of the interludes eating a red colored fruit from one of trees in my yard, shown in the lower pic. I have several fruit bearing trees and shrubs, mostly native types, to attract birds and I think that is what brings Gray Catbirds visiting my yard.

Gray Catbirds can be tricky to find visually as they skulkers, though they skulk in the tops of trees as well as in thickets nearer to the ground. As seen in the lower pic, the bird would stay inside the foliage (and in the shade). Be sure to double-click on both pics to enlarge them for better views--you can see it's throat feathers parted in the top pic as it sings, and it's dark crown can be seen in enlarged lower pic.
SeEtta