RE: [nfc-l] Sora? Southwestern Pennsylvania May 4, 3:43am

[Geoff Malosh]

Chris and all,

 

I did not find any matches to Whimbrel at Xeno-Canto that validate that
messy, sora-like opening to the NFC I recorded. Though I didn't click on
every single link. It's interesting that Sora may not be known to whinny in
nocturnal flight. I will say that Whimbrel was my very first impression of
this bird, but after looking at it more carefully, the voice didn't seem
right for Whimbrel to me, sort of the opposite impression that Chris had. I
also didn't think the spectrogram matched up with Whimbrel very well. All
the Whimbrel spectrograms I found (that were well recorded) seem to show a
distinct upward hook on the front side of each note, looking somewhat like a
lower case letter "r", whereas the bird in my recording didn't seem to show
that even partially.

 

Are there any other possibilities to consider, like the alarm call of a
local bird? It would make a very interesting record either way: a Sora
whinnying on migration, or a very early Whimbrel, or perhaps some other odd
thing. Or perhaps it can't really be identified with any certainty. Anyway,
if anyone has any other ideas, I would much appreciate hearing them.

 

Good birding (and listening),

 

Geoff 

 

From: bounce-119150764-58130...@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-119150764-58130...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Christopher
T. Tessaglia-Hymes
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2015 5:20 PM
To: Geoff Malosh
Cc: NFC-L
Subject: Re: [nfc-l] Sora? Southwestern Pennsylvania May 4, 3:43am

 

Hi Geoff, 

 

Glad to hear that you are out there recording, listening, and reviewing.

 

Thanks for sharing your recording of this interesting call.

 

I think I'll stick my neck out there and say that I'm in the Whimbrel camp
on this one. The cadence and quality seem right for Whimbrel; it's not a
perfect match, but I think it sounds best for Whimbrel. I don't think this
is Sora, because your recording sounds "beefier" than I'd expect for Sora.
Also, the only Sora calls I've recorded have been the "ker-wee" calls, no
whinnies. Have you tried searching Xeno-Canto for other Whimbrel examples
that might be a better match?

 

Am I off on this one? Other thoughts?

 

Sincerely,

Chris T-H

 

 

On May 8, 2015, at 5:53 PM, Geoff Malosh  wrote:





Chris and all,

 

Yes, at least one other person out here has a microphone turned on. In fact
during the overnight hours of May 4 here in suburban Pittsburgh I picked up
a call that appears to be a Sora "whinnying" as it passed overhead. The
recording is attached, because there are a few things I am unsure about it
and would certainly appreciate any opinions. First, the call is somewhat
strange because it is more or less all on one pitch, rather than rapidly
rising in pitch and gradually descending like a typical Sora whinny call. I
was also curious to know whether Soras are known to whinny while on
nocturnal migration. I assume there is no reason why they couldn't, but
wasn't sure if it's more typical for them to give a different call while on
passage.

 

I discussed with a few others and the only other possibility we came up with
is a very early Whimbrel, but this seems unlikely by the messy start to the
call sequence (which is more like Sora) and the fact that, to my ear at
least, the "voice" of each note isn't quite right for Whimbrel, but does
match Sora well enough, including on the spectrogram.

 

Anyway, any input on whether this could be something other than a Sora would
be appreciated.

 

 

Thanks very much,

Geoff Malosh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

 

 

Geoff Malosh | Editor, Pennsylvania Birds 

450 Amherst Avenue | Moon Township, PA 15108-2654 | 412.735.3128  

pomar...@earthlink.net | https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffmalosh/  

=== 

Pennsylvania Birds is published by the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology 

  Preview the latest issue: http://www.pabirds.org/pabirds/pb_sample.html 

  Subscription information: http://www.pabirds.org/PSOJoin.htm 

 

 

From: bounce-119145394-58130...@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-119145394-58130...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Christopher
T. Tessaglia-Hymes
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 10:31 AM
To: NFC-L
Subject: [nfc-l] Etna, NY: Night Migration 7-8 May 2015

 

Good morning! 

 

I finally set up my personal flowerpot microphone on the roof in Etna, NY,
yesterday evening, and then conducted my first overnight recording of the
spring.

 

In general, it was fairly uneventful and quiet, with the exception of the
Spring Peeper chorus, periodic trilling American Toads, and occasional
calling Gray Treefrog.

 

In the Fingerlakes area of Upstate, NY, we are seeing a nearly unprecedented
early leaf-out, or at least a leaf-out we haven't seen this early in
probably over a decade. This will make for interesting and sometimes
challenging daytime birding, because so many more food resources are
available as the bulk of migrants move th

Re: [nfc-l] Sora? Southwestern Pennsylvania May 4, 3:43am

[Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes]

Hi Geoff,

Glad to hear that you are out there recording, listening, and reviewing.

Thanks for sharing your recording of this interesting call.

I think I’ll stick my neck out there and say that I’m in the Whimbrel camp on 
this one. The cadence and quality seem right for Whimbrel; it’s not a perfect 
match, but I think it sounds best for Whimbrel. I don’t think this is Sora, 
because your recording sounds “beefier” than I’d expect for Sora. Also, the 
only Sora calls I’ve recorded have been the “ker-wee” calls, no whinnies. Have 
you tried searching Xeno-Canto for other Whimbrel examples that might be a 
better match?

Am I off on this one? Other thoughts?

Sincerely,
Chris T-H


On May 8, 2015, at 5:53 PM, Geoff Malosh 
mailto:pomar...@earthlink.net>> wrote:

Chris and all,

Yes, at least one other person out here has a microphone turned on. In fact 
during the overnight hours of May 4 here in suburban Pittsburgh I picked up a 
call that appears to be a Sora “whinnying” as it passed overhead. The recording 
is attached, because there are a few things I am unsure about it and would 
certainly appreciate any opinions. First, the call is somewhat strange because 
it is more or less all on one pitch, rather than rapidly rising in pitch and 
gradually descending like a typical Sora whinny call. I was also curious to 
know whether Soras are known to whinny while on nocturnal migration. I assume 
there is no reason why they couldn’t, but wasn’t sure if it’s more typical for 
them to give a different call while on passage.

I discussed with a few others and the only other possibility we came up with is 
a very early Whimbrel, but this seems unlikely by the messy start to the call 
sequence (which is more like Sora) and the fact that, to my ear at least, the 
“voice” of each note isn’t quite right for Whimbrel, but does match Sora well 
enough, including on the spectrogram.

Anyway, any input on whether this could be something other than a Sora would be 
appreciated.


Thanks very much,
Geoff Malosh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


Geoff Malosh | Editor, Pennsylvania Birds
450 Amherst Avenue | Moon Township, PA 15108-2654 | 412.735.3128
pomar...@earthlink.net | 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffmalosh/
===
Pennsylvania Birds is published by the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology
  Preview the latest issue: http://www.pabirds.org/pabirds/pb_sample.html
  Subscription information: http://www.pabirds.org/PSOJoin.htm


From: 
bounce-119145394-58130...@list.cornell.edu
 [mailto:bounce-119145394-58130...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Christopher 
T. Tessaglia-Hymes
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 10:31 AM
To: NFC-L
Subject: [nfc-l] Etna, NY: Night Migration 7-8 May 2015

Good morning!

I finally set up my personal flowerpot microphone on the roof in Etna, NY, 
yesterday evening, and then conducted my first overnight recording of the 
spring.

In general, it was fairly uneventful and quiet, with the exception of the 
Spring Peeper chorus, periodic trilling American Toads, and occasional calling 
Gray Treefrog.

In the Fingerlakes area of Upstate, NY, we are seeing a nearly unprecedented 
early leaf-out, or at least a leaf-out we haven’t seen this early in probably 
over a decade. This will make for interesting and sometimes challenging daytime 
birding, because so many more food resources are available as the bulk of 
migrants move through our region.

OK, onto the night recording. Early this morning, I quickly scanned through the 
recording from last night with the following notables, in no particular order:

Ovenbird (2 NFCs, 1 song)
White Throated Sparrow (5+ NFCs)
HF Sparrow seet (1 NFC)
Indigo Bunting (2 NFCs, 1 song, one of the NFC’s was a really nice clear call)
Wood Thrush (2 NFCs, 1 song - definite singer in flight, not from ground, which 
I think is a first for me as a singing flyover)
Common Yellowthroats (5 NFCs, 3 songs)
Chipping Sparrow (10+ NFCs, 7 songs - local bird triggered into song by flyover 
NFCs)
Least Sandpiper (1 “krt” series of calls)
Spotted Sandpiper (3-4 call sequences, possible local bird)
Virginia Rail (1 “k-kreeer" call)
Green Heron (4 “keow!” calls)
Baltimore Oriole (1 in-flight song)
Tree Swallow (dawn flight calls)
Canada Warbler (1 NFC)
Savannah Sparrow (4 NFCs)
Warbler sp (8 NFCs)
Song Sparrows (5+ songs, probably local birds)

It’s good to be listening and recording at night again!

Has anyone else out there been motivated to start recording or listening. What 
are you hearing?

Sincerely,
Chris T-H

--
Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes
Field Applications Engineer
Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850
W: 607-254-2418   M: 607-351-5740   F: 607-254-1132
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp

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