Gary,

I would say the noises I heard that time, from feeding Least Sandpipers (and with the bill open), was more like the sound a package of beer nuts makes when it's gently pulled open. If you could get the two types of sandpipers together, you might have a pretty good party.

Dennis


On Sep 12, 2010, at 1:38 PM, Gary Bletsch wrote:

> Dear Tweeters and Dennis,
>
> Yesterday I heard some odd vocalizations from some Least Sandpipers. Here are my field notes from this observation of a flock of about ten birds:
>
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
> Least Sandpiper ::: West Ninety
> September 11, 2010
> ; foraging near Baird's Sandpipers on bch by dike, odd hissing calls
>
> Besides making their usual "kreet" calls, these birds repeatedly gave a
> different vocalization, audible only at close range when the birds would fly
> by me. It was a soft, hissing click, somewhat like that of a bottle of cold beer
> being opened, "tsss!"
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> I knew at the time that I'd read about an odd vocalization by this species, and when I got home, I finally found it in Dennis Paulson's "Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest." In the book, Dennis poses this as a curious behaviour to be looked for, saying that he'd heard foraging birds making a similar noise, possibly as a warning.
>
> I was close to the flock of foraging Leasts yesterday, but I only heard the noise when they were flying, not when they were on the seaweed mat. They did it two or three times; each time, the small flock would take off, fly right by me, and make the noise. I couldn't tell how many birds were doing it, nor could I see any bills opening.
>
> To be more specific in the description, the sound is not like that of a well-shaken can of Schlitz being popped open. It is more the sound you hear when the screw-off cap of a cold, non-agitated bottle of beer is turned just slightly, allowing a modicum of gas to escape. At least (pun intended), that is what it sounded like to me, as I walked around out there in the hot sun, while wearing one too many garments.
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Gary Bletsch Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA garybletsch at yahoo.com
>
>

-----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net