S6E27 - Songbird Sojourn, Part 2 (Ovenbird)

[00:00:24] The Ovenbird is a loud but well-hidden warbler of the deep forest. This warbler looks far more like a thrush, with its solid olive-brown back and white front with black stripes.

[00:00:40] This is one of those songbirds you will hear more than you will see. Its distinct teacher-teacher-teacher song makes its presence obvious, even if it's not easy to spot visually along the forest floor where they tend to reside. My name is Rob, and this is Songbirding.

[00:01:50] A vireo sounding different. Yeah, it's a distant blue-headed vireo. Maybe this trail...it looks like this trail should wrap around to where that bird is.

[00:02:30] There we go. You can hear a distant group of Canada geese too. So this blue-headed vireo, to my ears, similar song to red-eyed vireo.

[00:03:01] Still doing that like vireo? Vireo kind of song, but it's higher pitched, more sweeter sounding. Bit more full. Of course, it's not super close to the trail here, so I'm not getting the full brunt of it.

[00:03:42] Getting some really good ovenbird songs today. Black-to-the-green up here.

[00:04:17] Might sit for a moment at it, because it looks like it's pretty close to the trail. Interesting variation. A little bit of trill near the end of the song.

[00:04:55] Alright, we're going to sit and listen to it for a bit.

[00:06:47] This is an American Robin. So far since I've got here, I've got 30 species on my e-bird list here.

[00:07:53] Just doing up the list now as we're listening to these. There's an American Robin mixed in with all this as well.

[00:08:11] Hearing another blue-headed vireo that we might be able to reach easily. The Black-to-the-green whirlder is doing the Trees, trees, lovely trees type song.

[00:08:39] That's the mnemonic used for it. Bit more rhythmic mnemonic than a tonal one. They do have another song. This one's got a little trill at the end though. Might be a regional thing.

[00:09:11] Buzz, buzz, trill. Oh, there's an interpretive sign for ferns.

[00:09:40] Ten species of ferns, okay. Ten species of fern allies found. Including club moss. They can resemble pine trees. They're called ground pine sometimes. But they're not really pine or moss, okay. Yeah, I think it mentions them being used as Christmas decorations.

[00:10:10] I seem to recall having had some of these as indoor potted plants before. That's a blue jay sounding like a chicken. Alright, a little bit of an uphill climb here.

[00:10:37] A distant deer huffing and running away. Alright, here's a nice blue headed vireo.

[00:11:08] Nice and close up. Let's set down this recorder. We're going to listen to it.

[00:14:02] We're also hearing some brown creepers. Those high, really, really high pitched calls. No songs yet. Songs sound like an abbreviated winter run. Just a lot of calls.

[00:17:33] Actually also hearing some scarlet tanagers in here. Kind of distant, quiet. Maybe we'll hear more as we continue the trail.

[00:19:20] Songbirding, the Allegheny National Forest, is a Songbirding Studios production, and was recorded, engineered, narrated, and created by me, Rob Porter. With cover art and logo design by Lauren Helton. And Creative Commons music from Josh Woodward.