[NatureNS] False report - Whip Poor Will - and question about loon behaviour

From: Mary Macaulay <marymacaulay@hotmail.com>
To: Nature Nova Scotia <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:24:35 -0300
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Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
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I  went back to the Lake last night because of all the interest in the WPW.=
  If you recall I reported being woken at 2:00 a.m. to what I thought was a=
 WPW. Then of course I fell back to sleep - not being particularly vigilant=
/alert etc.  This time I went out there with the intention of waking at the=
 least little noise and recording (on my cell phone - which records the dat=
e and time) any interesting night noises. Thus I stayed awake on and off al=
l night. =20
=20
This is my conclusion.  The bird sound I heard was not a WPW but a loon.  H=
ere is what I observed.  about 1 a.m. there was a soft loon call coming dow=
n the lake along the perimeter.  When it reached my fen there was an answer=
ing call which began and sounded very like a WPW=2C the soft loon sound esc=
alated very rapidly as did the answering loon with the call speeding up to =
a swirling screech.  The soft loon sound then proceeded on down the lake an=
d encountered other loons along the way - maybe 3 or four.  It did this pat=
rol twice more during the night with similar noisy reaction from the other =
loons - I'm thinking it circled the entire lake at least three times=2C enc=
ountering perhaps males? along the route.  Not sure what exactly was happen=
ing.  I imagine some on the list will have some theories.  I'm thinking it =
was either a male trying to lure other males out for a territorial battle o=
r a female trying to choose a mate but this is just a guess.  Does anyone k=
now why the loons were behaving in this way?
=20
There are WPWs at the lake but they aren't there yet.  There is no doubt ab=
out them when they do return. They usually are very noisy early in the morn=
ing as the sun comes up when we want to sleep.  I'm going to wait until I h=
ave a confirmed bird with a recording verified by an expert birder and then=
 I'll let the naturens group know about it.  Very sorry for the false repor=
t.  I'm a notoriously poor birder and shouldn't have said anything (I'm one=
 of those people who is always looking down at the plants instead of up at =
the birds) - at least this has enabled me to come up with a way to record b=
ird sounds that can be verified by others! Perhaps with the help of naturen=
sers identifying my recordings we can get a real list for Angevine onto the=
 BBAtlas.
=20
my apologies=2C
=20
Mary 		 	   		  =

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I&nbsp=3B went back to the Lake last night because of all the&nbsp=3Bintere=
st in the WPW.&nbsp=3B If you recall&nbsp=3BI reported being woken at 2:00 =
a.m. to what I thought was a WPW. Then of course I fell back to sleep - not=
 being particularly vigilant/alert etc.&nbsp=3B This time I went out there =
with the intention of waking at the least little noise and recording (on my=
 cell phone - which&nbsp=3Brecords the&nbsp=3Bdate and time) any interestin=
g night noises.&nbsp=3BThus I&nbsp=3Bstayed awake on and off all night.&nbs=
p=3B <BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
This is my conclusion.&nbsp=3B The&nbsp=3Bbird sound I heard was not a WPW&=
nbsp=3Bbut a loon.&nbsp=3B Here is what I observed.&nbsp=3B about 1 a.m. th=
ere was a soft loon call coming down the lake along the perimeter.&nbsp=3B =
When it reached my fen there was an answering call which began&nbsp=3Band s=
ounded very like a WPW=2C the soft loon sound escalated very rapidly as&nbs=
p=3Bdid the answering loon with the call speeding up to a&nbsp=3Bswirling s=
creech.&nbsp=3B The soft loon sound then proceeded on down the lake and enc=
ountered other loons&nbsp=3Balong the way - maybe 3 or four.&nbsp=3B It did=
 this patrol twice more during the night with similar noisy reaction from t=
he other loons - I'm thinking it circled the entire lake at least three tim=
es=2C encountering perhaps males? along the route.&nbsp=3B Not sure what ex=
actly was happening.&nbsp=3B I imagine some on the list will have some theo=
ries.&nbsp=3B I'm thinking it was either a male trying to lure other males =
out for a territorial battle or a female trying to choose a mate but this i=
s just a guess.&nbsp=3B Does anyone know why the loons were behaving in thi=
s way?<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
There are WPWs at the lake but they aren't there yet.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3BThere =
is no doubt about them when they do return. They usually are very noisy ear=
ly in the morning as the sun comes up when we want to sleep.&nbsp=3B I'm go=
ing to wait until I have a confirmed&nbsp=3Bbird with a recording verified =
by an expert birder and then I'll&nbsp=3Blet the naturens group know about =
it.&nbsp=3B Very sorry for the false report.&nbsp=3B I'm&nbsp=3Ba notorious=
ly&nbsp=3Bpoor birder and shouldn't have said anything&nbsp=3B(I'm one of t=
hose people who is always looking down at the plants instead of up at the b=
irds) - at least this has enabled me to come up with a way to record bird s=
ounds that can be verified by others! Perhaps with the help of naturensers&=
nbsp=3Bidentifying my recordings we can get a real list for&nbsp=3BAngevine=
 onto the BBAtlas.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
my apologies=2C<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Mary<BR> 		 	   		  </body>
</html>=

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