Tweets,
Success, sort of. Went up to Northrup Canyon this morning, arriving later
than I wanted (9:30) and proceeded to look for the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
At 1/2 mile up the road (I marked the spot with 3 large rocks) we had the
bird actively singing at 10:00. Pretty sure that it was the bird, I
proceeded to play the tape to try and see if the bird would come out into
the open. The bird responded however it would never come into view. I
followed the bird around a 100 yard stretch for 3 hours. The bird would
stop singing for periods of 5-10 minutes and then start again. The end of
the area where the bird flew this morning was also where I again placed 3
rocks. At 1:00 the bird flew briefly, and I do mean very briefly into
view. Tried to see the bird again until 1:40 and was greeted by another 40
minutes of intermitent song but no view.
The only look I got of the bird was a 3-4 second view as the bird flew
from one patch of riparian area to another. The back while seen briefly
had a mottled brown coloration and the white rump was a dirty white. In
the brief view I had the rest of the bird looked like a typical male
Rose-breasted grosbeak.
For Jerry and Sandy Converse, I had not remembered to take along
your number or I would have called, sorry won't happen again. Hope you can
see the bird, maybe tomorrow.
Its hard to know if the bird is always this secretive about being seen or
if it was the time of day with which I was there. Also present were good
numbers of Bullock's Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeak, 8-10 Red Crossbill.
Having heard the Black-headed Grosbeak right next to this bird (in the
same riparian area) the song is within the range of variation of
Black-headed I believe, but this particular song was distinct enough that
when it changed locations I could still seperate it from the
Black-headed's. The best description I can give is a little more fluid
than the BHGR and it seemed like a little quicker. I hate to use the word
quality to seperate bird songs but I think of BHGR song as a quicker,
bubbly song of a Robin. This bird today was similar to the BHGR, but the
quality of the song was higher, seemed more refined. At the risk of
quoting a field guide, when I looked in Peterson, I liked the way he put
it. He said like a Robin that had taken voice lessons. So I saw the bird,
I guess any time you can get the lifer you were after its success, but a
few second visual of a bird you have been hearing for 3 hours feels like
kinda of a let down. Good luck to anybody else that tries. Hopefully the
bird will be more cooperative.

Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA