While birding in the rain at Greenfield Park & Gardens in Wilmington N.C. recently, I found a sweet little Gray Catbird. He had just caught a Junebug and appeared to be quite pleased with himself lol!

Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) are often found in dense brushy areas at the edges of lakes, fields and woods. They belong to the genus Dumetella, which in Latin means ‘small thicket which seems to fit their behavior perfectly.

These pretty little birds are relatives of Thrashers and Mockingbirds, sharing the talent of the group’s superb mimicking abilities. In addition to incorporating all kinds of woodland sounds into their repertoire, Catbirds are able to copy the sounds of other birds and weave them into their own unique songs.
Lol, I’ve been tricked a time or two myself by these guys into searching for a non existent Warbler.

What a cool bird!
Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty full frame beast of a birding camera, the @canonusa #5ds