About two days ago, my partner Siobhan and I went for our daily walk, which criss-crosses several large fields on neighboring property. While walking along a hedgerow, we came across a Gray Catbird, singing from near the top of a Wild Sumac. So nice! Catbirds have just come back from migration, and it was a joy to see and hear our first one of the season. And that’s when my idea was hatched: I’ll return at the break of dawn on the first clear sky day and videotape this very same catbird in full song, silhouetted against the dawning sky.
So I went back today at 5am, and things worked out pretty well. Although I was hankering for a orange sky, as opposed to a blue one, I’m quite pleased with the result. The video features my two best-looking clips. The audio is also sufficient. I recorded it at the same time I did the videotaping, using a directional shotgun microphone. There were lots of others birds sounding off nearby, so it was difficult getting a clean and clear rendition. Nonetheless, I’m pleased.
Whatya think? Did I do OK with this one?
A Sidenote: Catbirds sing song-phrase after song-phrase and each phrase is different from the one that precedes or follows it. In fact, catbirds have hundreds of different song-phrases to draw from, so each singing bout is comprised of an entirely unique string of highly variable phrases. As a result, trying to lip-synch a singing catbird using a recording of the same or a different bird gathered at a different time is really not feasible. There are simply too many variations to deal with. So that’s why I put some special effort into recording in real time, right as I gathered the video footage itself.
Please leave your comment below!
Thank you for this wonderful video. Its very well done.
So much to say. Such a happy sound. Very nice presentation of the bird against a sky background. Well done Lang.
Thank you David!
I love it too! Wonderful idea to have a singing bird in silhouette in a video. Awesome.
Gorgeous! gorgeous sound and gorgeous sight. Thank you. I have a photo of one of my local kookaburras silhouetted against an evening sky- sitting on a gum tree. Now, I’m inspired to try video and sound. Thank you.
Kathryn: Where are you in Australia? I did a recording trip to Queensland and New South Wales three years ago (in Sept/Oct). It was a glorious experience … such rich and beautiful soundscapes everywhere we went.
A somewhat overlooked bird, I think. But a beauty. And a beautiful song(s). And some beautiful shots. Thanks.
Love it!
I love it! I especially loved that it was a sillouette.
Karen: Yep … the silhouette makes all the difference when it comes to evoking a mood and feeling.
I very much enjoyed hearing the Catbird in the sonic foreground with the rest of the ensemble in the background. He’s definitely the soloist, but we still hear his context. The silhouette visual effect is beautiful.
I am so enthused by the silhouette, which has a profound influence on the mood of the footage.
Thanks for the great post Lang! This was really a treat as I have been anxiously awaiting to hear my first gray catbird song here in far western New York. These are one of my favorite birds because of the high variability of their song, and their seemingly joyful mood to greet the coming day!
I hope I hear one soon.
Nick: Have you heard one yet? They’re now singing everywhere here in the Ithaca area in upstate New York.
As of now, shockingly, no. I think I’ve heard just about every other spring arrival thus far except the catbird. I highly suspect I will tomorrow morning, but up to this point they are mysteriously absent. I don’t remember ever having to wait this long to hear them before, especially compared to all the other migrants.
Lang, Just for your information, we have finally begun hearing them here on May 8 (yesterday.) The dawn chorus is now complete again!
this is good to hear!
Wonderful. Thank you.
Delightful, Lang!! You are doing such wonderful things. Still cherish visits to your chipmunk site, our “honey mushroom” hike up Scarface, your stir fry and folk dancing with you. Our daughter expects to be at Cornell this next year… perhaps we will connect. Nancy & Mike
Yes … let’s all connect when you guys come to Cornell. I well remember those honey mushroom days, although they include getting very sick eating a Pholiota that turned out to cause gastrointestinal distress!
Love this Lang! One of the greatest events is Dawnsong– early morning serenades. Love that you caught it in real time in the context of the other bird songs. I especially like the silhouette– with no detail in the bird, one can really study its behavior/movements as it sings! Thanks so much!
Thank you Joni!
Just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful site which I adore. I don’t have a home computer and sneak-watch your videos at work when I can and it totally changes the texture of my days. Sharing the beauty of birds and nature and the world — you are the ultimate poet! Again, all my gratitude to you!
Thanks lily. I only wish I could post something this nice each and every day. The good stuff often happens when least expected!
Oh, Lang, this is just glorious! Thank you so much for getting up early for this; so worth it! It does sound to me as though there are passing references to Red-Winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch and Blue Jay, but, since they still have the voice quality of catbird I guess they’re not really mimics of those other birds. Sure looking forward to more posts! Happy Spring! I love birds.
Marilyn: There were blackbirds singing nearby in the hedgerow, so the catbird wasn’t making those sounds. I do hear one or two phrases that are jay-like, but I wouldn’t go so fear as to call them actual imitations.
What a beautiful and unique view of the catbird’s song! Thank you so much for sharing this, Lang.
Great idea, the silhouette in song. no need to show colors on this bird. Let’s you focus on its song.
Yup, did good!
It looks as though in between phrases the bird is listening to what is happening around him. So, if the bird is listening to the environment and that is part of his performance, the environment should be audible to us, as well. Great video, Lang!
Hi there Rene! I absolutely do want the surrounding sounds to be audible. It’s really a matter of balance. When the video features just a single bird (as with the catbird), I want him to come across loud and clear, but with surrounding sounds providing the ambience of place in stereo. All too often, however, the situation makes it nearly impossible to get good sound while capturing video, therefore at least a portion of the soundtrack has to manipulated in post-production. Wish that weren’t so, but wind and cars and jets and dogs and people yelling invariably screw things up,… Read more »
That was really beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
Actually I think the blue creates a strong backdrop.It made me focus on the wonderful way this bird gives its whole body over into making its song. Good modelling for us humans ..?
How entirely delightful! Great job.
That was truly beautiful. Such a sweet song! More please 🙂
I have such a backlog of material, even from this season. Wish it were easier to post.
Dear Lang, I sometimes linger in bed past that delightful time of day where you found the catbird singing … I listen from my room. But seeing this wonderful video, which is artistic as well as aesthetic, stirs a desire in me to get up and get out there along my fence row! I love this video! By all means get Mr Robin!!!
I can understand arguments for both. While it’s wonderful to be out there, in nature, it’s also wonderful to experience the dawn chorus through one’s bedroom window. It’s all about balanced, I suppose.
The silhouetted movement seems to transmit more body energy accompanying his song. The little flicks of wings and fluttering throat are great. He seems to be listening to the other songs as he pauses fur red wing, yellow warbler etc as though considering them for his own repertoire.
Linda: You’re right in that catbird’s may mimic the sounds of other birds, though not nearly so often as the mockingbird. Personally, I don’t hear this guy doing any mimicking.
PS – It’s neat to see the catbird’s tongue licking his song!
MMMM, MMMM Good! Nothing could be better than licking one’s song!
Thanks, Lang! A stellar recording as usual. I’m sure Leora and I heard the same bird at 9:30 this morning. A treat for me, recently moved from the NW.
Love the cat bird — and so did my cats, whose heads swiveled and 0ears perked up. BTW, I thought I’d tell you that I came to your site the other day to hear a Raven’s call … we’ve got Ravens and Crows here in Eureka, CA., and there’s one that calls to me when ever I park my car in my Center’s parking lot. I haven’t been able to see it — it’s way up in a Redwood tree … but because of your site, I think it’s a Raven. I’d love to hear a comparison between crow and… Read more »
Angelica: If it’s giving throaty, croaking calls, it’s no doubt a raven. You most likely have lots more of them out your way.
Now that was worth getting up early for.
Yep! And now I’m hooked … I want more of this kind of thing! How about a silhouetted Robin? I got a really nice still over a month ago, but no video as of yet. Shouldn’t be too hard to get. Right?
Morning has broken like the first morning
“Catbird” has spoken like the first bird …
I love these happy pilgrims and am charmed by their gregarious exchanges with people, just short of true conversation. In my garden they enjoy tiny fruits on a flowering cherry tree and when the juicy tidbits first appear the catbirds keep calling, “Cherries! Cherries! Cherries!” Well, when their beaks are empty they do.
Sharon: I guess the “catbird” is basically a “black-bird”, though not in the same family. It sure is black when silhouetted. Hence, it could very well the be a blackbird of Morning Has Broken fame. My whole reason behind getting such a thing is to characterize the magic of first light, of that time when the bird chorus is peaking but the birds are either not visible (hidden in the foliage) or else are silhouetted against a brighter sky. OI hope to use these clips in a movie about the music of nature, to provide an aesthetic transition between the… Read more »
Lovely, both visually and song – a favorite bird.
Great job! I like having the back-up singers there – I think it has more “presence.”
I also like the background singers. There are things I can do to draw out the catbird song-phrases even further, but I may just leave it as-is.
I love it! So much to say to the breaking day! And the back-up singers!