Another morning walk along some of the trails on our tree farm added
tremendous excitement to my birding experiences. As I walked through a
six-year-old mixed stand of Sitka Spruce, Western Redcedar, Douglas-fir
and Western Hemlock, intermingled with Salal and Red Huckleberry, I
realized I was surrounded by a flock of Black-capped and Chestnut-backed
Chickadees and Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. I stopped to take
in the sights and sounds when I heard the high-pitched laugh of a bird I
have always wished I could identify. I have never believed that it came
from chickadees or kinglets, and have suspected that it might be coming
from a Hutton's Vireo. And sure enough, right at eye level was a HUTTON'S
VIREO perusing the Red Huckleberry bush. Too close to use my binoculars, I
stood there enthralled and watched it devour a pink tidbit snatched from a
twig of the huckleberry bush, and then, as if to exclaim its pleasure and
ectstasy, it uttered that special little laughing sound. I know now that
my suspicions were correct; in the fall and early winter as it joins its
fellow passerines in gleaning the bushes and trees of its resident
territory, the Hutton's Vireo utters a little, high-pitched laugh. By late
February, Hutton's Vireo will be singing its more familiar song,
"chee-wheet, chee-wheet, chee-wheet" on and on.

Birding is a continuous, thrilling learning experience!

Erin

Bill and Erin Woods Woods Tree Farm Redmond, WA U.S.A.
<wwwbike at halcyon.com>