Hi folks,
I stepped outside to do some yard work about 6:00 PM yesterday and was greeted by nearby singing red-eyed and blue-headed vireos, 'FOY yard-bird' house finch and, more interesting, two notes or phrases from an 'odd' sounding black-throated green warbler's song, which were frequently repeated among the chorus of yellow-rumps, pine warblers and several black-and-white warblers.
I recognized the two phrases from the 'zee-zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee' song type ('zee-zee'), given at a slower rate (longer pause between phrases). The bird finally gave a clear full song. The short slower 2-note version continued with a full song intermixed every couple of minutes. It also gave a few 'zoo-zee-zoo-zoo-zee' song types plus a few sharp double-chip call notes, normally heard while gathering food around fledgelings. The double-chip notes were given repeatedly after a second nearby black-throated green warbler gave normal song renditions.
Take time and listen to the same bird singing over an extended period of time. You will be surprised what you hear and learn about individual song repetroirs and general species-specific behaviors, taking their behavioral context and surrounding birds into consideration. It adds to the pleasure of just 'ticking them off', which I enjoy.
Birds are great!
Norm from Augusta
Yard Totals
Birds, in no particular order - Song activity good
2 Black-throated green warblers
3 Pine warblers
2 Black-and-white warblers
12 Yellow-rumped warblers
1 Chimney swift - Bit early and infrequently heard or seen from the yard
1 House finch -first of the year for our yard
1 Red-eyed vireo - Good song contrast with a nearby blue-headed vireo
1 Blue-headed vireo
1 Ruby-throated hummingbird - Third day in a row
2 Chipping sparrows
1 White-throated sparrow
2 Song sparrows
1 Gray catbird
1 Hermit thrush
1 Eastern phoebe
2 American crows
3 American robins
2 Noisy American goldfinches giving all kinds of song renditions
2 Yellow-bellied sapsuckers
2 Downy woodpeckers
2 Hairy woodpeckers
1 Flicker
1 Pileated woodpecker
2 White-breasted nuthatches
1 Common raven
2 Blue jays
4 Black-capped chickadees
2 Tufted titmice
1 Northern cardinal
1 Great-horned owl
0 Purple finch - they have been regular every day singing profusely
4 Domestic chickens wandered into the yard from a neighbors house
Amphibians
3-4 Gray tree frogs - pleasant sounds
50-100 Spring peepers (many, too hard to guesstimate)
Aracknids
Dog tick - Found a big one chowing down on me that evening
--
Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist
513 Eight Rod Road
Augusta, ME 04330
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