ML618221451
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Adult, Unknown sex - X; Juvenile, Unknown sex - X
- Behaviors
- Feeding young; Foraging or eating
- Sounds
- Call; Flight call
- Playback
- Playback not used
Media notes
Feeding in red pines.
Observation details
Continuing large flock feeding in red pines in the yard. Family groups of mostly types 2 and 4 but maybe type 12 also recorded (it looks like that type 7/12 variant but could it also be a variation of type 2?). Many RECR were seen feeding on the ground, on the lawn and driveway, picking up dirt, grit and maybe fallen pine seeds. A few were brown-streaked juvenile/immatures that were showing some yellow in their plumage. It could be that these are birds from the nestings in early March. Younger juveniles were being fed in the pines. All could fly pretty well. They are really burning through the remaining cone crop, foraging from the crown to the lower branches. At one time, they were noisily feeding when a few warning calls came just before a Merlin whizzed over the flock. The silence that followed was remarkable, until a few type 4's started 'plicking'. It took a few tense moments for the young to start begging again (see 4th recording). Shortly after the Merlin sighting, most of the flock of 30+ took to flight, heading SE but several family groups stayed behind to continue feeding. A few type 2's called loudly as if trying to contact the departed flock. Estimated number of birds is a minimum of 45. Quite a circus.
Additional species
Technical information
- Recorder
- Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite: model SM-T113
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 7.98 MB