ML646424878

Observation details

Volume all the way up for this one Hmm.. standing nearish the switch box on the inner Estuary trail when some Steller’s Jays were vocalizing off to the East of the tracks - very surprised to hear what sounded a lot like a Blue Jay calling with / after them! Typical “jaayyyy!” call. The bird called seven times, two of which I managed to get on recording. The quality is unbelievably horrendous, there was some crazy loud heavy machinery or something going right after the bird started calling. The loudest and clearest call is at the 9 second mark before the nearby STJA starts vocalizing, with one more call preceding it at the 5 second mark after the BRCR - not entirely sure what to make of this, could it be some high level corvid mimicry? Steller’s Jays and Northern Flicker is the leading theory.. We don’t typically get EUST in this specific area, and the call really travelled across the Estuary. (Like a corvid) Any experience I have with mimicry that sounds very similar is usually quieter, and doesn’t travel as clear as this call does! It could also be someone’s phone / recording / pet bird for all I know, I looked for a bit but couldn’t turn anything up. The bird might have called one more time, but I was too far away to confirm. For what it’s worth, I have heard some pretty crazy corvid noises before, but nothing ever quite like this! A cool mystery if nothing else