Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird on March 10, 2021. A second sunny and warm day in a row prompted me to finally go out to photograph around the neighborhood. My expectations were low I would come across many birds. A flock of starlings, a cardinal couple, and our common year-round sparrows were the bulk of the birds found. Several goose couples were on the stormwater management pond. Up beyond the geese were a robin and this mockingbird. Crouched on the ground, I slowly was walking to the mockingbird up on the rocks. The robin panicked and flew off, taking the mockingbird with it. As I noted there wasn't much out, I stood in one spot to await for something to fly back over. The mockingbird eventually did and I took some shots of it scavenging. I was not fond of the background so did not invest too much time into photographing it.

I noted while out that this mockingbird had a piece of bug or grass stuck in its beak. Upon further review of my photos, there is a beak deformity (crossed mandibles). The United States Geological Survey collects data on banded birds and beak deformities. I have come across several birds with odd beaks in my few years birding and suggest that everyone report when they encounter an odd bird.

Non-birding notes: I observed my first butterfly of 2021, a Cabbage White. My first bee of the year also. Box Elder bugs were numerous, at least a couple hundred along the forest line.

Lens - Tamron 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 @ 600mm on Nikon D500