We're at the stage where new species are showing up daily and bird song is also exploding - prime conditions for jumping the gun on audio IDs. The first vireo expected is Blue-headed Vireo, but at this time of year it's always prudent to back up sound IDs with visual confirmation. I was reminded of this today while walking at Hop Brook Lake in Naugatuck. I heard high in trees among the usual Goldfinch cacophony and Titmouse variety, something that sounded like occasional vireo song notes. After working on this at 2 locations I realized this was the result of Purple Finches singing a single intro note, rather than a full song. The situation became clear when the distinctive pik, pik-pik call notes were mixed in. I learned this source of confusion many years ago while fall hawk-watching at Lighthouse Point in New Haven. I was hearing what I thought were Blue-headed Vireos but the late date gave me pause. The answer was the simple and obvious one - get a look at the bird, which proved to be a Purple Finch, presumably a young male in female-like plumage. Greg Hanisek CT eBird Reviewer

Interesting note from Greg. Purple Finches are surprisingly good mimics. A resident male here regularly incorporates calls from Phoebes, Towhees, Juncos, and Titmice into his song—and fools Merlin in the process. Kevin Finnan Goshen Sent from my iPhone > On Apr 15, 2024, at 12:18 PM, Gregory Hanisek via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > We're at the stage where new species are showing up daily and bird song is > also exploding - prime conditions for jumping the gun on audio IDs. The > first vireo expected is Blue-headed Vireo, but at this time of year it's > always prudent to back up sound IDs with visual confirmation. > > I was reminded of this today while walking at Hop Brook Lake in Naugatuck. > I heard high in trees among the usual Goldfinch cacophony and Titmouse > variety, something that sounded like occasional vireo song notes. After > working on this at 2 locations I realized this was the result of Purple > Finches singing a single intro note, rather than a full song. The situation > became clear when the distinctive pik, pik-pik call notes were mixed in. > > I learned this source of confusion many years ago while fall hawk-watching > at Lighthouse Point in New Haven. I was hearing what I thought were > Blue-headed Vireos but the late date gave me pause. The answer was the > simple and obvious one - get a look at the bird, which proved to be a > Purple Finch, presumably a young male in female-like plumage. > > Greg Hanisek > CT eBird Reviewer > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/