Bird Yizkor

The other morning we were woken up by screeching birds outside our window.  In the summer, we sleep with the windows open and the room fan on so the cooler air will circulate during the night.  When the windows are open, we hear the sounds of our 'hood.

I've never heard such shrill howls from the bird community before.  It was light outside, so we got up and inspected the sky.  There were tons of birds gathered in this one palm tree and on the electrical wires near our front yard.

 All photos by Larry Underhill

It appears that the birds were conducting a memorial or Yizkor service for one of their fallen.   Yizkor in Hebrew means 'remember.'  The local birds were honoring and remembering a member of their congregation with their grievous screeching. 

The Fallen Bird in our Neighbor's Driveway

The bird community is a close-knit one in Wilshire Vista.