A Q&A will immediately follow the screening with Gary Oldman, Oscar winning-actor and KCET Cinema Series Lumière Award recipient. Snakes face more harassment from the nearby humans than they do from the mockingbirds. The Gray Catbird is, well, gray. Mockingbirds are one of those wild animals that do much better in cities than they do in the wild; they have a notable tendency to build their nests near houses. This may be due to our landscaping choices: cities' vegetation tends to be more structurally complex than that of neighboring wildlands, adding to the mockers' potential menu of seeds and berries; our profligate use of water boosts the availability of the insect portion of the birds' diet. Here’s a guide to going off the beaten path with some of the best open-air attractions SoCal has to offer. The vigor with which a bird defends its territory depends on the species. Many are the residents of such houses who venture out on a morning in April or May to find themselves being strafed by a tiny, two-ounce bit of feathers and beak. Whether in the desert or cypress swamp, on the National Mall or on the terrace at the Getty, mockers have adapted surprisingly well to North American cities and suburbs. Looking for outdoor options beyond your local park or playground? Here are a few programs and articles we recommend to help center your Thanksgiving celebration on honoring and amplifying Native stories, seeking truth about our history, and acknowledging Indigenous presence and wisdom. My old dog used to get dive-bombed by a particular mocker each spring in one spot along our daily walk. Their plumage is soft gray, the tops of their heads are darker gray, and the undersides of their tails are rusty red. The first on the entire west coast, with 142 years of service to the U.S., the Mare Island Naval Shipyard has been a long time builder of California's naval gold. Snakes face more harassment from the nearby humans than they do from the mockingbirds. While Hugh has second thoughts about his agreement with Harriet, Penny rescues an injured wombat, but her new pet causes an uproar at the hospital. The northern mockingbird's absolutely fearless defense of its nest probably puts it in the running for bravest animal in the desert. Proposition 187 and its aftermath was a dizzying series of events that involved people from all sectors of society. Chris Clarke is an environmental writer of two decades standing. In urban neighborhoods with lots of outdoor cats, survival of some species of baby birds can run to ten percent, or lower. Halloween 2020 is not canceled. The parents can even solicit help from outsiders. Which doesn't mean they're above taunting them: Of course, the Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is not by any means solely a desert bird. A mockingbird's song is an echo of the chorus of sounds that surround it. Prop 13, the campaign to slash property taxes, launched a tax revolt that continues today. Human disturbance and development often create these habitats in the form of clearings, roadsides, fencerows, abandoned farmland, and residential areas. We speak with educators and journalists who have studied the people and events involved. Both male and female mockers take part in aggressive nest defense. The threats mockingbirds usually take on are animals known to eat baby birds: snakes, jays, crows and ravens, and -- as in this video -- hawks. Gray Catbirds live amid dense shrubs, vine tangles, and thickets of young trees in both summer and winter. And then, as spring passes into summer, the babies fledge. President-elect Joe Biden declared “America is back” this week as he revealed some of the people who will staff his administration in key national security posts. He is a veteran environmental journalist and natural history writer. Will catbirds attack humans? Whether it’s established attractions or inaugural events that might become future Halloween standbys, here are five great ways to scare up some extra spooks this October. It belongs to all of us. Director of Desert Biodiversity, he writes from Palm Springs regularly at his acclaimed blog Coyote Crossing and comments on desert issues on KCET weekly. Mated couples may part, or they may start the process over again: a pair can raise two or three broods in a breeding season, and go on monogamously to do the same thing next year. The third and final season of “Tending Nature” emphasizes a reciprocal relationship between human and land, acknowledging Indigenous presence, and respecting natural resources. To Conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo it was San Lucas. Here’s where to find five of L.A.’s most scenic bridge crossings — and why they’re fascinating destinations in their own right. Raccoons get harassed, possums, even ducks and geese. Males and females are nearly impossible to distinguish, and they are not sexually dimorphic in physical appearance. personally, I find that worth putting up with a bit of insomnia. Don't miss out on KCET.org's events, stories, breaking news, shows, and new recipes. After all, public media is meant for the public. The Chumash called it Wimal. Things You’ll Need If that did not provide enough motivation to want to be rid of them, they are also not intimidated by the family cat or the family dog. Mockers often forage on the ground for fallen seeds and ground insects, though they will hunt from perches as well. A small section of Vermont Street in the Potrero Hill section of San Francisco is just miles away from the more famous Lombard Street.