Tweets,
Here's a story about getting stumped by a birdsong. I imagine most if not
all Tweeters can relate. Saturday mid-morning I hit the "conservation
foundation property" at Hwy 507 x Churchill/Mull just east of Tenino. Spent
an hour unsuccessfully tracking a "mystery song" in the willows and brush
along a stream and the transitional growth within 150 yards of it. The bird
stayed within 10-15 feet off the ground though much larger trees were also
present. Sounded to my ear somewhat like a much abbreviated Winter Wren,
though also reminiscent of a Black-throated Gray's "alternate" song (that's
what I call it, and describe it as:) of rushed, rolling, weak, buzzy/squeaky
and less-buzzy/squeaky notes with little pitch variation -- except this song
was considerably more musical in quality but not as squeaky or varied in
pitch as a Winter Wren. The mystery bird was always at least loosely
associated with one or more Wilson's Warblers--a species that is (also) most
difficult to find whenever I'm trying to. Because it sounded unlike anything
I'd ever heard around here, and given the habitat and the time of migration,
my imagination went wild as to the possibilities. I kinda figured it was a
majorly variant Wilson's Warbler (the pitch and tone quality and length of
song were about right) but was really hoping for something far more
exotic--especially since the out-of-place song was not unlike a cross
between Magnolia and Canada Warbler. I finally left and retrieved Bob
Sundstrom who lives nearby. He also was stumped after several "listens" at
close range at or just above eye level. In the evening I took a tape and
played Canada Warbler, the bird I was really hoping for. Almost immediately
a bright, crisp, male Black-throated Gray Warbler came investigating. Then
another. One of them began singing a faint/tentative version of the
"alternate" song. Then the other. Then they skirmished. After several
stanzas one singer finally warmed up to the full-voiced version that matched
what we had been hearing earlier. Mystery solved. Guess it goes to show the
incredible variations that are possible, and the necessity to verify instead
of jump to premature conclusions. Also shows how obsessive "some" birders
can be. : - )
Good birding!
--Paul Hicks, Tenino, s. Thurston Co
phicks AT accessgrace.org