Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Bird song ID help needed!

The windows are open here at work today, and I am being taunted by a bird song I'm not familiar with. It's a loud, clear whistle, with a definite six note musical phrase that rises and falls. I wish I had a way to write it out in musical notation, because the rhythm and notes are so definite. I'll attempt to explain it in words:

D (eighth note)\ *eighth rest*\ G (eighth note) \*eighth rest*\G(dotted eighth) slurred to B (sixteenth)\B (sixteenth) slurred to D (dotted eighth). Moderate tempo.

At first I thought it might be a variation of a Baltimore oriole song, but the whistle sounds a bit different and orioles usually don't have such a strict rhythm. I mean, this bird's got syncopation!

Anyone have any ideas for me?

7 comments:

R.Powers said...

I'm commenting just so you know I stopped by, but I am way to musiclueless to be of any assistance.

R.Powers said...

eh, hem ... "too", not "to".

Cathy said...

You should hear my husband (a former tuba player- dotted the 'i' at OSU) trying to whistle your tune. It's a hoot! He says it's a Meadowlark. (Har!) I think you've got an oriole with attitude.

Anonymous said...

No idea what it was, but last night I tracked down a cardinal in our yard that was singing a very atypical song, and I was sure it was an oriole or something weird (i.e., tanager) until I saw it "singing in the rain".

Deb said...

FC- I always appreciate your stopping by, musiclueless or not.

Cathy- Tuba= very important to a marching band! Especially dotting the "I"! I expected it would be funny for musicians to try and comprehend this.

Todd- it may very well be a cardinal with attitude. Not like any cardinal I've ever heard, though!

I had the chance to try and chase it down this afternoon, though unsuccessful. I did learn it is a shy bird, not flitting around or singing from the treetops like orioles and cardinals do. It hangs around in the lower forest layers.

Deb said...

Update- I got out of my car when I arrived at work this morning, and that was the first bird call I heard! It's raining out now, but I may take the binocs at lunch time and try and track this thing down.

Cathy said...

How about a Black-throated green warbler? Hmmm. But I don't think that qualifies as a clear whistle. Hmmm.