The sounds in this cut are so zany you would think they were made by a Great-tailed Grackle,
or maybe a mynah. Actually, they came from a Steller's Jay, a corvid. The corvids are known for varied calls
too subtle for us to understand, but most of their common sounds are rather harsh,
as in the "Caw, caw, caw" of the crows. Steller's Jays start every morning, and I mean every morning of the
year, with "Screech, screech, screech" and then a call that sounds like a machine gun. But, they are known to have a
whisper song.
While taking a bit of R and R in the redwoods, Caroline and I stopped to check out the big tree at the Big Tree Wayside,
in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Plenty of other folks were there, too, as you can tell. No matter, this jay started warbling
close to the trail. A preliminary cut is also on the checklist. It is rather faint. After a pause, the bird resumed; the bravura she or he
summoned is on display above. You have to spend a lot of time around Steller's Jays to hear this, or be lucky. I've heard this only one other time in my life.
I'm really glad I carry the recording gear everywhere, even on R and R.