[Umpqua Birds] Re: Night sounds
- From: Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 1 Sep 2013 21:45:15 -0700
Keith and All. Your description of the call and timing sounds perfect for
the Swainson's Thrushes. A couple mornings ago I heard a few at about 0600
out the bedroom window. Their typical flight call is higher-pitched and
more drawn out than the typical short "whit" they give while poking around
the thick brush in the woods during the day. However, they sometimes give
the whit call in flight and do the wheee call on the ground (it's not
exclusive to one or the other, just one is predominant).
In areas where there are a lot of Swainson's Thrushes migrating, you can
hear them most of the night. This is much more common right along the
coast. Many years ago I was camping out (sleeping bag thrown on the sand)
on the North Spit at Tillamook (between the bay and the ocean) and we heard
Swainson's Thrushes most of the night. Anyone going on the Umpqua Valley
Audubon coast campout on Sept 19-21 at Tugman State Park (
www.umpquaaudubon.org) should have a good chance to hear Swainson's
Thrushes at night. Otherwise, as with the chances of running into any
other species of migrant during the day, it can be somewhat hit and miss. I
heard them two days ago at our house, but not the last couple mornings.
Haven't heard any this evening. But we'll see.
Have a good night,
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
On Sun, Sep 1, 2013 at 3:12 PM, Keith Phifer <plfer9381@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Every year I see people report hearing multitudes of Swainson Thrush
> migrating over their homes at night. I try to go out and listen and
> usually hear nothing. This morning at 5:30 am before first light I went
> out to get the newspaper and I heard a couple of interesting bird sounds.
> One of which I had no guess, but the other made me think of those
> observations I have read about in the past. I could not tell if the sounds
> were coming from flying birds or not in the dark, but I was hearing several
> high pitched "wheet" types of calls that made me think of thrushes. Is
> that the type of call they make when flying in migration and is the timing
> right?
> Following the golden crowned sparrows the other day, this morning an
> immature white crowned sparrow was making a lot of noise calling in my
> yard. I know Matt spoke of noticing these sparrows dispersing several
> weeks ago, but I am just noticing them here.
> Keith
>
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