Here is a bird that is sometimes known as a ‘CST’,
although under proposed name changes it would be an ‘EST’.
That is one of the things that makes bird names confusing whether they are
written in full or in shorthand. People will be using different names for
some time. [Like ‘Richard’s Pipit’ and ‘Australian
Pipit’. You might find it easier just to say ‘pipit’,
because there’s only one around.] Can you work out what bird this
is? It should be quite easy with your field guide.
Another confusing thing is the different sounds this bird
makes. You can often hear the tearing of bark as it feeds, as this bird
is doing. Sometimes it gives a sad whistle like ‘peeerrr’ or ‘hooraaaayyy’.
It also makes a little grating noise when it is feeding in a group. The
most distinctive sound is a clear repeated song that has been rendered in words
as ‘knock on the door’. At the moment they are making this
quite a lot. However it can also sound like ‘the Spring’s not
here’ with a secondary stress on the second syllable. Sometimes it’s
just ‘on the door’ or ‘Spring’s not here’.
Listening for this is the best way to find these birds if you want to see
one. On top of all that, this bird is also supposed to be a mimic!
