Episode 73: Midnight Mockingbird

Recorded on March 16, 2025, at the dogtrot on the Way Out West Deck, this is the sound of Mississippi’s state bird in the midst of a midnight song marathon. Likely a young male searching for his first mate or an older one singing after losing his mate, the Northern Mockingbird’s song of varied phrases is joined by the barks, cackling and hoooaaaws of a Barred Owl duet. On this cool spring night, with temperatures dipping below 50 degrees, only a few spring field crickets and frogs can be heard—their calls slowed by the chill in the air. This recording is best heard in a quiet setting.