[obol] Yamhill puzzle bird solved

From: "Paul Sullivan" <paultsullivan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <YamhillBirders@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 12:22:42 -0700
We got out to the site of the mystery bird again this morning by 8:20.  It
is 7 miles up Rock Creek from Business Hwy 18, AKA Willamina - Sheridan Hwy.
The bird was singing when we arrived.  I was able to get a good scope look
at it, on the tip of a bow of a tall D. fir tree.  It was over 30 ft off the
ground.

 

It sang the triplet "Trrrrrrz, Trrrrrz, Trrrrrz" over and over.  It didn't
do any other songs. 

 

It was an adult clay-throated CHIPPING SPARROW.  Where did it learn that
song?

 

Hmmmm?

 

Cheers,

 

Paul Sullivan

-----------------------------------------

From: Paul Sullivan [mailto:paultsullivan@xxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2014 3:30 AM
To: celata@xxxxxxxxxxxx; obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: carolk@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Yamhill puzzle bird

 

Mike,

 

You didn't name your bird, but it sounds like a junco.  The cadence is much
slower than our mystery bird, taking 14 seconds for a triplet.  

 

Our bird did its triplet in 2 seconds and sounded more burry.
"Brzrzrzrzrzrzr, Brzrzrzrzrzrzr, Brzrzrzrzrzrzr" It sang several times per
minute.   I did get a glimpse of it, and it was sparrow size and sandy brown
below.  The puzzle is that it was high in a tree and in Oregon in late June.
Cornell (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Clay-colored_Sparrow/id) does
note that eastern Clay-colored Sparrows may be found "in Christmas tree
farms."

 

Herlyn and Contreras in Handbook of Oregon Birds (p. 243) give spring dates
as mid-May to mid-June, and show no entries for Yamhill county.  However, we
do know of 3 sightings in Yamhill county, all near Dayton:

8-9 Mar 1996

12 Sept 1997

2 Dec 2000

 

Paul

 

 

------------------------------------------

From: Paul Sullivan [mailto:paultsullivan@xxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2014 8:51 PM
To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; YamhillBirders@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: carolk@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Yamhill puzzle bird

 

We were up Rock Creek Rd, north of Sheridan today, 0.25 mile past the end of
the paved road at a gate on the east side of the road.  We heard a sparrow
singing from large D. fir trees at the edge of a Christmas tree farm.  It
sang repeated, buzzy triplets: "Bzzzzzz, Bzzzzzz, Bzzzzzz."   It sounded
like a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, but it was high in the tree.  I tried playing a
tape, but it did not come down to where we could really see it.  The song
did not match any song I've heard from a Chipping Sparrow.

 

Hmmmm?

 

Paul Sulllivan & Carol Karlen

McMinnville
[obol] Yamhill puzzle bird solved

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