Yesterday I mentioned hearing various bird calls from the cattails at the marsh. This time of the year, the sounds we hear songbirds make are their various calls. They sing in the spring (or the males do, usually) to attract a mate - or perhaps to defend territory. This time of the year, they use calls to communicate with one another. The problem is, to the amateur (me included) so many of the calls sound alike! And if you can't see the bird, which is often the case, it's difficult to identify it. Case in point. The call of the young Yellow-rumped Warbler above (according to my bird guide) is a low chep. The call of the Savannah Sparrow, a regular at the marsh, is a high stip. That of the Common Yellowthroat sounds like chelp. And that of the Palm Warbler, shown yesterday, is a husky chik. You can see how confusing this can get. I'm getting pretty good at recognizing the call of the Yellow-rumped Warblers, probably because they are plentiful and fairly visible, but the others are still pretty much a mystery. That's why I call back, stand and wait and hope they get curious enough to make an appearance...
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