Michael,

You had a question on a probable Black-throated Gray Warbler and noted
that its song was somewhat different from what you heard on your CD
recording.

It is most likely the Black-throated Gray Warbler, which is a common
migrant and nesting bird in this area. If there is no other coloration
(such as yellow, etc), just black/white/gray, that would restrict
your choices of species - and Black-throated Grays are the common ones
here in the Northwest with that kind of plumage.

The calls recorded on the tapes give you a good idea of a species' call
or song. BUT: Always remember that the tapes/CDs only have a couple of
representative songs for each species.

I am brushing up on eastside sparrows, etc. for a Breeding Bird Survey
route I run each year near Ritzville. Since I don't live on that side of
the state, I am forced to review songs on tapes. If I just used the
Peterson or Borror tapes, many of the songs/calls I would hear would be
the Eastern US variants, and not sound hardly at all like what I'll hear
over in Adams County. Thank goodness Eleanor Pugh from Oregon has put
together a number of bird song tapes using a lot of NW races' songs.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, WA
anderjda at dfw.wa.gov