Re: [Maine-birds] Also PIWA in Houlton

Hi all,

Years ago I checked over large sections of Maine for nesting or territorial pine warblers.  This area stretched from the north of Baxter SP to northern Washington Co and SW New Brunswick.  It is not as far north as the birds discussed this year.

Primarily, I used playbacks of pine warbler songs from various sources and often had juncos respond vigorously.  Also, I worked on a bird territory mapping project for four years in the Lincoln-Medway-Howland area and we frequently had juncos singing from the tops of super-canopy white pines where you could not clearly see the birds (100+ ft trees).  We also had pine warblers nesting in the same open super-canopy, which complected censusing.  Fortunately, each plot was surveyed 10 times by multiple observers and we usually could spot the culprits several times, often a combination of both species.  

Like Bill noted, some of their vocalizations can sound very similar.  Think about the range in variation in junco songs during the spring migration when you can have 25 different juncos singing at once: fast songs, slow songs, two parted songs, buzzy songs, songs rising slightly or falling slightly in pitch etc.  

Get out there and listen!

Happy vocalizations.

Norm Famous

On Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 7:32 AM, Bill Sheehan <bill.j.sheehan@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello all,

Craig is right that this bird is noteworthy and at the northernmost edge of the confirmed range at Houlton.  As anyone who has wandered north of Baxter knows, the Pine Tree is a rare commodity in the northern quarter of the Pine Tree State.  I have only been able to confirm breeders as far north as Matagamon Lake and Orient.

Craig is right too, to be out trying to get a glimpse of the bird this AM.  A visual sighting is key to confirm these birds on the northern edge of the breeding range.  I have personally found that my brain likes to convert Junco song into a Pine Warbler trill when I'm standing in Pine straw and the sent of pitch is in my nose....  Its also my impression that late-season Junco song seems a bit low key and quite different from the ringing tone of the testosterone-jacked tune they belt out as they migrate through in spring. 

This may explain some of the breeding season Pine Warbler reports we see in eBird maps of interior northern Maine and the Maritimes.

Cheers

Bill

On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 5:50 PM, Down East Nature Tours <info@downeastnaturetours.com> wrote:

Craig

A quick perusal of the data shows PIWA well up into New Brunswick and Newfoundland  and many records in Northern Maine so the motor lodge PIWA seems to be still well in it breeding range...  Thanks for the sighting

Michael

-----Original Message----- From: Craig Kesselheim
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 8:52 PM
To: Maine birds
Subject: [Maine-birds] Also PIWA in Houlton

Audible of Pine Warbler near Ivys Motor Lodge this evening. I'll be out early tomorrow to confirm. Same location as last year (Rest Area pines). A bit far north.

Craig K

Sent from my iPhone

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Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist

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Augusta, ME 04330

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