Hi Jay and NFCers, Like Jay, I was socked in with rain this morning - very dismal throughout the day although I saw birds slowly emerge out of the gloomy overcast. Surprisingly, I didn't here a single peep, zeep, chip, whzurrrr, or blurp overnight which I thought was strange. Every night I hear something flying over.......
Jay's synopsis and description of Varied Thrush migration calls (nocturnal and diurnal) are right on the money. I usually hear them for about two hours after dawn but hardly ever at night. That's why hearing them early in the morning (1 1/4 hours before daylight) of Oct 6 was so strange (they call pre-dawn in Spring). They were probably flying over and calling earlier than that but I was asleep and I don't have any recording equipment. >From the soggy northwest.... Jim -- Jim Danzenbaker Battle Ground, WA 360-723-0345 jdanzenba...@gmail.com On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 8:26 AM, Jay Withgott <withg...@comcast.net> wrote: > ** > > Gerard -- > > Since Jim is undoubtedly enjoying a flood of migrants this morning after > what has apparently been the heaviest migration night of the season, while > I'm socked in with rain 25 miles south of him, I'll go ahead and respond.... > > Varied Thrushes give a flight call very much like the lovely iconic song > that reverberates through the PNW rainforests -- that ethereal combination > of a whistle and a vibratory hum. However, the call in flight is generally > a shorter and throatier version of that vocalization, more of a guttural > "whzurrrr" than a long thin "whhzzzzeeeeeee". This call is also heard on > the ground. I've heard this call from birds in flight at night, at dawn, > and after daylight. They seem to me to call more at dawn and after dawn > than at night, but then that may simply be a function of when I'm most often > listening. Jim's more nocturnally active than I am, so I certainly trust > his judgment on this. Like Robins, Varied Thrushes continue their nocturnal > migration for sometimes up to a few hours in the morning, so it is feasible > to see them as they migrate over, occasionally calling. > > I've never heard their Hermit-Thrush-like "chuck" or "tuk" call note used > in flight. > > Jim, any comments on the above? I'm hoping that you've gotten a flood of > birds over your yard last night and this morning and that the rain clears up > a bit down my way so that I can partake, too. > > Jay Withgott > Portland, Oregon > > > > At 8:43 AM -0400 10/7/11, SLIMBIRD Gerard wrote: > > Jim, > > >From an Eastern perspective, I'm curious (ok really interested!) to know > the call Varied Thrush use at night, and/or how you're identifying them? > > I also add a hearty thanks to everyone sharing their experience of flight > calls to the list, especially if/when supported with clips etc. It's always > enlightening! > > Thanks, > > Gerard > > Eastern Ontario > > > On 10/6/11 9:00 PM, "Jim Danzenbaker" <jdanzenba...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Nocturnal flight enthusiasts, > > I live in Battle Ground, Washington which is 20 miles due north of > Portland, Oregon. I've been listening for about 6 years - mostly Swainson's > Thrushes which can number in the thousands on some nights in September. I > was listening from 5:45-7 this morning and had a good variety although > not many individuals: > > Varied Thrush 21* > Hermit Thrush 1 > Swainson's Thrush 3 > *Zonotrichia* 1 > Song Sparrow 1 > Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 > misc chips 8 > > * this is only the third time I've heard nocturnal migrant Varied Thrushes > and only single birds on the other two occasions. > > Conditions were overcast with calm winds which was a big change from the > south winds and rainy conditions of the last several nights. > > Jim > > > -- > > *NFC-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NFC_WELCOME> > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NFC_RULES> > > Subscribe, Configuration and > Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NFC-L_SubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nfc-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NFC-L> > > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NFCL.html> > > *Please submit your observations to* *eBird*<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/> > *!* > > -- > > > -- NFC-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NFC_WELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NFC_RULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NFC-L_SubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nfc-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NFC-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NFCL.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
