[EBB Sightings] a singing California Towhee

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Alan Kaplan's walk today had some special treats.  At seven am the =
canyon near the pony rides in Tilden Park was unseasonably cold, but =
brilliantly clear after the recent storm.  The first sighting was an =
ash-throated flycatcher sitting at the top of a tall spruce looking very =
yellow in the full sun.  Though the Swainson's thrush was not singing, =
we were surprised to see the bird in the middle of the road, alternately =
hopping into the air with wings half-opened and then settling down to =
that typical thrush pose with head held high and tilted slightly upward. =
 Black-headed grosbeak and Wilson's warblers were singing all around us. =
=20

We had planned to walk up gulch trail along the stream but elected =
instead to stay in sun and walked part way up the hill toward Nimitz =
Way.  In an oak, a Townsend's warbler sang his buzzy song over and over =
as if he were defending a territory.  But what caught our attention was =
a loud and repeated song that no one immediately recognized -- somewhat =
suggestive of a thrasher or maybe a flicker with odd little melodic =
phrases between.  The song was coming from a California towhee who was =
working its way up through a pine.  I had heard this song some years ago =
and found it hard to believe that it was coming from the vibrating =
throat of the then brown towhee.  Someone told me at the time that it =
was a late season song of an unmated male.

One of our group said the CD of California bird songs (Cornell =
University?) includes that unusual song, but none of my several field =
guides makes any mention of such a vocalization.  Can anyone elucidate =
further?

Phila rogers
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the=20
canyon near the pony rides in Tilden Park was unseasonably cold, but =
brilliantly=20
clear after the recent storm.  The first sighting was an =
ash-throated=20
flycatcher sitting at the top of a tall spruce looking very yellow in =
the full=20
sun.  Though the Swainson's thrush was not singing, we were =
surprised to=20
see the bird in the middle of the road, alternately hopping into the air =
with=20
wings half-opened and then settling down to that typical thrush pose =
with head=20
held high and tilted slightly upward.  Black-headed grosbeak and =
Wilson's=20
warblers were singing all around us.  
instead=20
to stay in sun and walked part way up the hill toward Nimitz Way.  =
In an=20
oak, a Townsend's warbler sang his buzzy song over and over as if he =
were=20
defending a territory.  But what caught our attention was a loud =
and=20
repeated song that no one immediately recognized -- somewhat suggestive =
of a=20
thrasher or maybe a flicker with odd little melodic phrases =
between.  The=20
song was coming from a California towhee who was working its way up =
through a=20
pine.  I had heard this song some years ago and found it hard to =
believe=20
that it was coming from the vibrating throat of the then brown =
towhee. =20
Someone told me at the time that it was a late season song of an unmated =

male.
University?)=20
includes that unusual song, but none of my several field guides =
makes any=20
mention of such a vocalization.  Can anyone elucidate =
further?

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