Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for July 23, 2015

There are some other noises Calvin can produce for a mockingbird to imitate.

I always liked the way Calvin’s mind worked.

When we were in college there was a wild crow who learned to copy some noises people would rather not have copied, but it had some funny ones, too. How many campuses have had dorm quads in which the imitated sounds of a motorcycle would come from the tree tops? That was my favorite.

Ah, the timeless humor of little boys.

What faces!!

way to go calvin…only you could out mock a mocking bird…

If buttercups are yellow what color what color are hiccups? Burple.

Careful what you wish for, Calvin. Mockingbirds used to dive and attack my mother when she was out at the clothesline. .They also attacked our cat.

There are some things that Calvin really shouldn’t bring up.

To view the following strips in the archive and help GoComics generate revenue, please click on the blue archive links below. To view the strips directly, click on the images below or stretch them.Calvin and Hobbes (March 13, 1991)The following tribute strip was published two days after Calvin and Hobbes ended:Off The Mark (January 2, 1996)

We had mocking birds in one former neighborhood, and I hoped I could teach them “jingle bells” by whistling that. It didn’t work.

Especially the mourning doves.

One of my favorite Calvin strips! The year that this particular strip came out, we moved into a condo that we had just rented. Hottest day of the year, 100 degrees, and no air conditioning, so we struggled to fall asleep. 2 in the morning, I had finally started nodding off when suddenly I heard a Viper car alarm go off (you’d know it if you heard it – 10 different alarm sounds, one after the other, over and over.). Oh great, I thought, just what we freakin’ need. After about a minute, it stopped and I started to nod off again, and then it started again. Arrgh! I got up to go to the bathroom, and on the way back downstairs, I stepped out onto the deck to try to figure out who’s car it was so I could give the owner a piece of my mind in the morning. As I listened, I noticed that the alarm sequence has other noises in the sequence, like bird calls. I finally located the source of the noise – at the top of a nearby tree, it was a mockingbird, jumping up from its perch and landing again. The danged bird had heard so many of those alarms going off that it had learned the entire alarm sequence, in order. Had to laugh, even while I cursed out that creature.

I once was biking past the Florida Field in Gainesville (where the Gators play) during a weekday, and started hearing referee’s whistles! Drove around, and realized that it was the local mockers imitating the refs from the Saturday games!

Mocking birds and barn swallows – two creatures that excel at tormenting cats.

If there WAS one around it would probably keep screaming “Calvin!”

@Hobbesthank u for always showing us comics. I like reading your comments

A new book by Harper Lee is now available…

In Chicago where I grew up, there was a store called Goldblatts. In their pet department they had a crow for sale and it swore up a storm. Every person thought it was hysterical to teach poor “Sam the crow” how to cuss.

I remember a mockingbird who would sing Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance, but never could master the trombone smears..Another time, I heard a cardinal singing its territorial call. I answered, and an exchange went on a few times. Suddenly it segued from cardinal territorial call to more of a Woody Woodpecker cackle. A mockingbird was having fun too.

A mockingbird singing at night is a male trying to find a mate. @Jogger2: my hubby sang a song to one at midnight: instant silence as it listened. And then it sang it back! So sometimes it does work.

Hobbs looks a bit grumpy today.

Too chill with.

Man, when was the last time any of us burped on purpose?

We poor humans! Our mind reaches until into the heaven, but our body has animal qualities!!

I hardly ever burp.

My Dad can make himself burp whenever he wants. Sometimes… Just Sometimes, I wish I could do that!

xxx

 

Today’s “Pop Culture Shock Therapy” comic strip:

  

 

Go try it on Echo Canyon, Calvin

In San Rafael, CA, there is a school for training Guide Dogs and their masters. Many of the downtown traffic lights are equipped with speakers that sound tones when the lights change. One day I heard mockingbirds sounding those tunes. Yikes!

@ShadowGriffin: Glad you enjoy the extra comics.

Some birds do learn amazing things—I’ve seen a video of birds imitating chainsaws, and car alarms.

What Calvin really wants is a lyrebird. Too bad they’re not native to North America.