ML600635171
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Unknown age, Unknown sex - 2
- Sounds
- Call
- Playback
- Playback not used
Media notes
Natural calls from 2 or more individuals in ornamental birch subcanopy at 8:41am. Probably giving the rapid series of calls while leaving. Highpass filter 200 Hz in Ocen Audio.
Observation details
In birch clump at checklist pin. Heard the repeated slurred clear whistle call consistent with Swinhoe's White-eye repeated every couple seconds, walked closer and located one individual hang-perching, honeycreeper-like (or nuthatch-like but in foliage), mostly upside-down, in the open in subcanopy. Bird stayed stationary in that position for at least 10-20 seconds which was neat to see. Approximately warbler-sized but more muscular-looking shape, striking white eye ring not 100% complete, dull yellowish-green throat and greenish face and head, somewhat pronounced malar line. Dull greenish upperparts and grayish underpats otherwise. Took a look through binoculars for a few seconds, then focused on trying to get recordings. By the time I had arrived under the trees, it sounded like more than one bird but I only ever saw the one. While I was doing the recording, the bird(s) departed quite suddenly. Still had my headphones on so wasn't sure which direction they went. Too quick of an encounter overall but still really neat to get a chance to see. Update 05 August 2023: Recordings suggest at least two birds, since the rapid call series has some notes appearing to overlap, and towards the end of the rapid call series there are louder and softer alternating calls, suggesting a difference in distance, bird orientation, and/or on-target-ness with the directional mic. When I was listening in-person I was almost certain I was hearing two birds as well. Raphael Fennimore has documented up to 3 birds simultaneously near this location. Tentative ID as Swinhoe's White-eye (Zosterops simplex) based on apparent exact sonogram match of the trill call in Raphael's recording and a reference set of trill calls from birds in the DNA-sequenced population in southern California. Raphael's trill recording from Arrow Lake, Normandy Park, King County, Washington: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/590896901 Reference set of trill recordings from Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties, California: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/119275951 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/343895851 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/405725071 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/444719821 My recording of the burry descending whistle calls is also very similar to recordings from the southern California population, for example: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/595404501
Technical information
- Recorder
- Marantz PMD661-MKII
- Microphone
- Sennheiser ME67
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 1.57 MB