songbirds central Bldr Cnty, incl. Harris's Sparrow rehearsing

[Linda Andes-Georges]

The yard, probably like everyone's, has been popping with visitors and new residents all week. I've posted a few FOS's, but since the Oregon weather arrived, it has gotten really interesting.

Yesterday I had two Harris's Sparrows, one of which was singing so loudly, and so badly, that I almost held my ears. By badly, I mean it was singing its typical song but emphasizing all the flats and sharps in a most 21st century way, none of that harmonics, thank you. And did I say LOUD? Today there were at least two others--and I know they were others because at least one of them was doing the complex song more often than the simpleflat-and-sharp whistle notes on a single pitch. And the song was so weird that I went to XenoCanto to make sure it was not a Great-tailed Grackle trying to fool me.

A short while ago, two beautiful male Bullock's Orioles began mixing it up with the flocks of other rabble (RW Blackbirds, CO Grackles, lots of WC Sparrows, and 3 or 4 GT Towhees) outside my office, and were soon joined by a female. A Black-chinned Hummer has been sputtering around the yard for 3 days; I'm daring to hope it will stay and breed.

I wish some of those uncommon sparrows would show up so I could practice IDs on them. An Ovenbird would be super: Not on the yardlist! Thanks for all the news, everybody.

Linda

Linda Andes-Georges
Boulder County (W of Lagerman, N of Haystack, E of Table Mtn)
[Jean-Pierre says: W of Paris, S of Quebec, E of Tahiti]
8417 Stirrup Ln

Longmont CO 80503

Tel. 720 668 5214