[birdky] RPT: Sounds of spring

["Palmer-Ball, Brainard \(EPPC OOS KNPC\)" <Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxx>]

At the family farm in eastern Jefferson County, either local wintering
or newly arrived migrant Fox Sparrows have been singing up a storm the
past week or so.
 
Also, last weekend while doing some yard clean-up work, I heard a funny
jumble of whispered sounds and sure enough there was a Blue Jay singing
quietly in a pine tree above my head. That' makes the fourth time now
I've heard this song, all in March or April, and every time I hear it I
think it subconsciously goes through my head without recognition for a
couple of minutes before I ever notice it. I didn't listen to this song
for very long because I went back to my car to get a tape recorder ...
unfortunately the jay had quit by the time I got back. As with the other
renditions I've heard, this song had wonderfully reproduced elements of
Yellow-shafted Flicker and American Goldfinch and I think there was a
little Pine Siskin mixed in.
 
Finally, a few weeks ago I was in downtown Frankfort and heard two
starlings that were perched near one another simultaneously imitating
call notes of the same species, House Finch. Having two birds imitating
the same calls made it sound like there was a pair or small flock of
House Finches above me. Years ago (back in the good old days of winter
finch invasions) I once heard several starlings sitting in the top of a
tree simultaneously imitating the flight notes of Evening Grosbeaks,
producing the auditory illusion that a flock of grosbeaks was sitting in
the tree top. I wonder if there is some explanation for this behavior
other than the birds simply sharing in the fun of engaging in a "sing
along" as we humans often do ? ? ?
 
bpb, Frankfort

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[birdky] RPT: Sounds of spring