[Tweeters] Wrentitish recording

[casey cunningham]

Thanks for all the responses.  I can add with near certainty that the bird
calling in that recording is not an oystercatcher.  I was very close to it
a few times, it was calling just ahead of me from what seemed like within
the jetty rocks, and a few minutes later it was calling from behind me.
Later it appeared to have moved a bit north of the jetty into the
beachgrass or around the base of the isolated stunted conifers nearby.  It
was extremely skulky.  As it was getting dark and i was getting desperate I
pished and played a wrentit song, which only pulled up a silent song
sparrow.

I've heard song sparrows occasionaly do a 'bouncing ball' sound similar to
wrentit, so it seems plausible they could make a single note like that.  It
seems odd that one would make only that note on and off for ~30 minutes,
but maybe less odd than a wrentit crossing the Columbia and hanging out in
jetty riprap.

Casey


Date: 1/31 5:06 PM
From: Steve Hampton <stevechampton...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Wrenttitish recording
------------------------------
I agree that Black Oystercatcher sonogram is close, with a harmonic at 6
kHz, though the bottom note is a tad lower than Wrentit.
Regardless, any first state record in this context, especially a Wrentit
crossing the Columbia River mouth (!), would have to be verified by a photo
or very good sight record. There was a report of a visual sighting, however
brief, a few months ago. With so many going to that area for the Brambling
and other birds, it's worth a look.
good birding,
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