Hi Tweets

Gail Spitler writes:

>I have been boning up on bird songs again. Amazing what you forget over the
>winter. Does anyone have any suggestions about identifying Wilson's
>Warbler's song? I am particularly interested in the pileolata race.

Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla almost always sings a loud, dry
'chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chet-chet-chet', loudest in the middle; sometimes a
'chi-chi-chi-chi-chi' on one pitch, suggesting Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica
striata but louder and drier (by comparison, Blackpoll whispers, almost
hisses, 'zi-zi-zi-zi-zi-zi-zi', loudest in the middle), sometimes a louder,
drier version of Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata. Happily, 99.95% of
the WIWA you hear will sing the conventional song, but occasionally one will
sing a variant song somewhat reminiscent of its own species in quality but
suggesting another in pattern. Then it's often a merry old bushwhack to try
to locate the bird uttering the odd hard-to-place song, only to get that
triumphant 'Only me!' look when you find it.

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery, and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)