Greetings Bob and Maeve,
Bob, thanks for drawing my attention to "First Year Male" plumage. From
what I now observe and from the recordings I have heard my strong
inclination is to go with "First Year Male Red Crossbill". [Thanks also Maeve for the
bird song link.]
As a single record it means little but if other sightings are forthcoming
it will stand!
Thanks also for responding both of you.
Cheers,
Roy
The Gables at East Mountain, Rutland, Vermont
Speaking the same language.
Red Crossbills have been showing up in many states recently, including
Wisconsin, Ohio and even central California. It's confounding people because it
doesn't seem like a winter irruption. Also, the many different subspecies
have many different sounds. You can find a wide variety of songs and flight
notes by going to www.xeno-canto.org and typing Red Crossbill in the
search box. Many of the songs are definitely sweet!
Maeve Kim
Jericho Center
In a message dated 9/25/2012 8:39:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Check p. 530 of Sibley for plumage of 1st year male.
Bob Yunick
Schenectady, NY
-----Original Message-----
From: Roy Pilcher <[log in to unmask]>
To: VTBIRD <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Mon, Sep 24, 2012 8:50 pm
Subject: [VTBIRD] Red-crossbill?
If female red crossbills do not sing then this tentative ID does not get
out of the starting blocks!
I was drawn to this bird by its song while it was perched on a snag with
the morning sun coming from behind it at about 45 degrees. The squat
shape
of the bird with a deep notched tail and the lemonny/yellow color said
"red
crossbill female". The bird took of spiraling heavenward in a half
circle
in order to make the upper canopy of a grove of white pines.
The song was sweet, without the jarring and guttural sounds that the
Smithsonian recordings generally indicate for red crossbill although one
of the
recordings is somewhat sweeter. The flight call was a series of "tsinks"
to my ears!
Any thoughts would be helpful.
I have not entered "it" on the report of birds seen today at Kent Pond.
Kent Pond, Rutland, US-VT
Sep 24, 2012 8:10 AM - 10:05 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
22 species
Canada Goose 68 On the pond.
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 6
Common Loon 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 42 Mostly moving south in small flocks, largest was 15.
American Crow 5
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Gray Catbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 3
American Goldfinch 4
Cheers,
Roy Pilcher
The Gables at East Mountain, Rutland, Vermont
Speaking the same language.
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