ML94507441
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
- Sounds
- Call
- Playback
- Playback not used
Observation details
A cool and unusual observation while I was packing my car in the motel parking lot before dawn. I suddenly heard the distinctive rolling song of this species overhead, quite loud, sounding like multiple birds. I thought they would just pass by, but then I saw the flock land briefly in the desert scrub between the motel and I-15, still singing and calling. I did not have my binoculars or camera, but I was able to manage a brief cell phone recording of the calls. These were rather large, plain, grayish birds, with some black and white seen on some birds, presumably from the wing pattern - but this sighting was with my unaided eyes and the birds were lit only dimly by the nearby city lights, so the identification rests largely on the vocalizations. I am quite familiar with the song of this species from my time spent on the breeding grounds in Modoc County, as well as elsewhere. Willets are apparently known to migrate at night in small flocks, per the current BNA species account.
Technical information
- Recorder
- Samsung Galaxy S5 cell phone
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 1.4 MB