Yeah, it's like talking to them in person. Except you can hang up on them if they get too annoying.

[Except not quite, but he doesn't care enough to get into the details of reception and stuff... that would be playing along too much, in his opinion.]

Sylphjays? ...Is that supposed to be a bird?

[Oh no, is he saying they send messages by the fantastical equivalent of a pigeon...]