Took a walk through Ringwood preserve this morning. Lots of chipmunks about. Eventually I found a small mixed flock including two LBJs which I think are Bay-breasted warblers (faint streaks around neck area, legs not yellow, small-head/short-tail look), then a beautiful hooded warbler who soon started singing abbreviated songs, and a black-throated blue warbler (male breeding plumage) coming in close to check me out as they seem to like to do.
As I walked I would frequently hear choruses of clucking chipmunks (their aerial predator warning) with some blue jay complaints from high in the canopy, but never could I find the threat even with my infrared camera. When I reached the gully at the west, I finally heard the call of a red-shouldered hawk, and later saw a probable one flying low across the forest, long-tailed and Cooper-like in shape. Not long after another big bird took off from a low branch, though I failed to catch any detail. There was a variety of funny wailing vocalizations happening, some possibly squirrel, some possibly blue jay as they ended in piping notes. And then I heard a very strange long howl like a human's falsetto that ended in the "yurr" of a barred owl's call. It was either a barred owl or someone messing with me. I was reminded of last year's muckrace when the barred owl on Van Dyne Spoor would make all kinds of sounds that had almost human-like qualities. They've posted warnings about bow hunting season being in progress. Suan _____________________ http://suan-yong.com -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
