Nancy - it's interesting how people's perceptions of bird songs differs--and of
course there is also variation in how they sing. But this Brown Creeper we
heard--it sounded "foreign" to all of us, and we almost decided to put it down
to a Carolina Chickadee singing its 4-note song, but with much more texture to
it and a flourish at the end. Then we spotted it and saw the creeper
singing--it was a more full-bodied song than we'd have expected from this
sprite.
Mary Ann
-----Original Message-----
From: "Nancy Young" <nanjyoung@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2012 10:30pm
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Balls Bluff National Cemetery, Leesburg/[singing]
Speaking of birds not commonly heard in our area - this morning I was
delighted and surprised to hear a White-throated Sparrow in my yard singing
his Canada song (one of my very favorites) three different times.
Do you think the Brown Creeper song sounds a lot like the Meadow Lark only
in "miniature"? I have not heard them in the field but only on a CD. That
is how I learned what the song is supposed to sound like. But it's probably
too high pitched for my declining hearing.
Nancy Young
Blue Ridge, VA
-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Ann Good [mailto:magood1@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2012 8:54 PM
To: VA-Bird
Subject: [Va-bird] Balls Bluff National Cemetery, Leesburg
Donna Quinn, Germaine Connolly, and I took a "green" walk for St. Paddie's
Day at Balls Bluff National Cemetery along the Potomac north of Leesburg
this morning. It's a great place for wildflowers, which we enjoyed between
birds. As Kurt mentioned, birds not commonly heard singing were singing
this morning as it warmed up and the fog cleared. What is more cheering
than the Winter Wren's tinkling song? We also heard a song I'd never heard
before and traced it to a Brown Creeper, which I've often heard delivering
its call of 3 high thin notes, but never its full song before, repeated
again and again. Other highlights were a Barred Owl that we ran into twice
and unexpectedly seeing four Red-shouldered Hawks circling together over the
trees, with two additional ones calling from opposite sides. We couldn't
figure out what would have brought 4 together at this time of year. There
was also a very lovable Garter Snake that put up with a little
snake-handling for photos, and o
f course wildflowers! Many varieties blooming and many more to come! The
Bluebells are just on the verge of an amazing show. This is a gem of a spot
in the spring.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck - 4-6
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk - 6
Killdeer
Barred Owl - 2 (1 heard)
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
No. Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
E. Phoebe - 3
Am. Crow
Fish Crow
Car. Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper - singing
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren - singing
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
Am. Robin
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
No. Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Am. Goldfinch
Mary Ann Good
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