As Alyssa noted in her earlier post, We observed from close range (40 = feet) a Song Sparrow lift off from the dry sedge at water's edge, fly up = to about 25 feet high, then drop its legs, spread its wings, fanned open = its tail and with a buzzy hovering flight, that let it fall very slowly, = began to sing. Kind of flew like a low level Lark Bunting. It was not = one of the simpler songs we are so used to hearing, but an emphatic = garbled song that ended in a trill. I guess the song lasted about 3 = seconds, then the bird dropped quickly back into the sedges. I had never = seen this before. Consulting with both the BNA and Jim Rising's Sparrow = book, Rising remarks that flight singing is rare, BNA makes no = particular mention of it. I may try and get audio and video of it = tomorrow, it was quite striking. Bob Holtz and I had a great day out = with some great young birders. I think I learned as much as any of them = did! I am always surprised how all birds are so interesting when you = really watch them. A single female Red-winged Blackbird made a brief = appearance in the cattails and was mobbed by ten or twelve suitors with = flashing red epaulets. Actually it was quite brutal. First Broadwing of = the year, seen well in the open. Heard Brown Creepers but couldn't quite = see them. It was a great thing to do on a great day. Hats off to Zack, = Ben, Isaac, Alyssa, Sasha, Meara, Una and Mayva and their parents. These = are some great birders, it was fun to share the day with them. Good = Birding! =20 =20 Mark Alt
