[TN-Bird] Migration/house finch/blue jay

From: Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 07:31:28 EDT
Since a couple of new posts have appeared since I originally sent this, I am 
trying again.   DT
____________________________________________________________________
This was originally sent out on Monday, July 6, but it was returned with a 
notice that no submissions could be accepted for eight hours.  DT
______________________________________________________________________
Although this report is several days old, I thought it might be worth 
mentioning.  On the morning of July 4, I was up at 4:30 AM before daylight and 
took 
my dogs out onto the deck for their morning romp.  While out there, apparently 
a flock of birds was flying over and were constantly calling in low 
monosyllabic tones of "tu-tu-tu-tu-tu" which I can compare only to the tone of 
middle C 
as played on a piano. There was about a count of one in timing between each 
"tu".  This flight lasted about one minute before the sounds disappeared to the 
Southeast.  It did not sound like the calling of thrushes, warblers or such in 
migration.  I cannot recall ever hearing this particular vocalizing before 
and wonder if anyone else ever has.  Could this be early migrants of some sort? 
 
Can anyone hazard a guess?  Does anyone know for sure?

Just this morning, a house finch flew onto my hummingbird feeder and took a 
drink out of the ant trap. It then turned around, gave a rather violent jerk of 
its head, and water spray came out through its nostrils.  Did it sneeze?  Was 
this an intentional act in order to clean its nostrils?  Does anyone know 
what this was all about?  I can't recall ever having seen that before.  I was 
standing at my kitchen sink, and the feeder is only about 3 feet in front of 
me, 
so I had a good close range view.  Thank goodness for the glass window, or I 
might have been sprayed!

Yesterday, a blue jay flew down to dine on sunflower seed on the deck.  After 
eating, it laid down on its belly and spread its wings out.  After a few 
motionless moments, I thought maybe the bird had died (West Nile??), but then 
it 
got up and flew into a nearby tree where it began to behave as a blue jay 
usually does.  I guess it was just enjoying the sun which was shining 
beautifully 
after an earlier shower.

Hope all of you had a grand Fourth of July.  The fireworks around here were 
still going off intermittently until around midnight this AM.  

Cheers, prayers & great birding,

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
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[TN-Bird] Migration/house finch/blue jay

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