Last night I took yet another walk in the forest at Fort Worden State Park here in Port Townsend.
It was kind of interesting, because unlike the nearly silent forest of June 6th (except I heard my first Swainson's Thrush of the year), yesterday, on June 30, the airwaves were full of birdsong.
Same place, same time (last hour before sundown), same conditions (sunny warm and calm), yet totally different in the birdsong department. There were many Robins singing, unlike my earlier walk when I saw many Robins- all silent.
I also heard more Purple Finches singing than I think I've ever heard in one place. That was nice. Towhee's added trills and calls all over. Heard a few distant Swainson's Thrushes , a single Red-breasted Nuthatch, and a few Violet-green Swallows overhead, and that's mostly it. I did hear one bird song I couldn't quite place - what it sounded like (compared to recording on Birdweb) was a Townsends Solitaire- which I know shouldn't be in the lowlands now, but there you go.
Also neato was seeing a House Wren in the forest. I assumed the little wren to be a Pacific Wren at first, but no, it was a House Wren - I guess they are a bit more common here in the rainshadow than in Everett. It's been a long time since I've seen one in Washington state.
Anyhoo, what's the deal with all the birdsong now as opposed to on June 6th, I wondered. Moon phase? Sunspots? I was kind of thinking if all the Robins and Finches, having finished their first broods, were starting some new batch's and getting all territorial again. I don't know - I'm no Birdologist.
Jeff Gibsonjust wondering inPort Townsend Wa