tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post889405010139288866..comments2023-11-29T14:32:40.659+00:00Comments on Wildlife Watching with FAB.: Birding by sound?FABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16185823702988992159noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-73081137797575407702009-02-23T20:40:00.000+00:002009-02-23T20:40:00.000+00:00Hi RuthieJ - I agree, repetition works for me. Mne...Hi RuthieJ - I agree, repetition works for me. Mnemonics is an excellent way of explaining sounds to others like a Song Thrush that usually repeats phrases 3 times & can sound like "That's me..that's me..That's me.<BR/><BR/>Hi Eve & welcome to "The Early Birder". CD sound guides seem to be very popular but I agree they are no substitute for getting out & listening especially in the company of an expert. In Sept 2003 I visited Cape May & was amazed to see CMBO volunteers counting bird movement by sound early am in the dark! A great skill. Cheers Frank.FABhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185823702988992159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-74520774981123502482009-02-23T19:47:00.000+00:002009-02-23T19:47:00.000+00:00Hi Frank,My first time here and enjoying your bird...Hi Frank,<BR/>My first time here and enjoying your birding posts. Although I am no expert I have a good grasp on the bird calls and songs that reside here on and near my property. I LOVE birding by sound. I've learned well from my peers (most of which are very good and one that I get out with on occasion, is a pro. He works with warblers and it's amazing what he knows.) I've learned in the field but also have a Peterson's Guide CD that is very helpful. It works just like a book on the computer but you can hear the bird as well. Just listening to what's out there really enhances your awareness all around you. It takes time but it is such a wonderful feeling when you hear a bird after months of winter and know what it is without having to refresh! I just love it!<BR/>Great post!Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06554593974838511759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-76986406818778610922009-02-21T17:13:00.000+00:002009-02-21T17:13:00.000+00:00Hi Frank,I love "birding by ear" and am thankful ...Hi Frank,<BR/>I love "birding by ear" and am thankful that my hearing is still good enough to enjoy it. I have a couple of different CDs with birdsongs I'm likely to hear in this region. One of them includes mnemonics which seems to be quite helpful for me to remember (like the yellow-headed blackbird's call sounds like "don't you dare"). For me, memorization is best by repetition and I will listen to these bird call CDs over and over again and once I've got the ones learned that I hear most frequently, then I move on to learning some new ones--especially the summer sparrows and warblers which are only here and singing for a few short months.RuthieJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663411478574192825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-77282258664344985352009-02-21T14:54:00.000+00:002009-02-21T14:54:00.000+00:00Thanks Steve, I think that is very good advice for...Thanks Steve, I think that is very good advice for everyone to follow.<BR/>Well at least your memory banks are working!FABhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185823702988992159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-85497542994782530652009-02-21T14:38:00.000+00:002009-02-21T14:38:00.000+00:00When I was making the change from rookie to advanc...When I was making the change from rookie to advanced in Southern California, I found a diverse habitat and birded that every week for a year. I found that there were certain places that a particular bird or group would frequent. In a matter of a few weeks, I could hear them before I arrived to the spot. As the seasons passed, I built up the number of species that I could recognize.<BR/><BR/>On our recent trip back to California, I heard a bird that I had not heard for 18 years…a Bewick’s wren.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-49110110668355152502009-02-20T21:23:00.000+00:002009-02-20T21:23:00.000+00:00Well "Earlybirders" it seems we are al...Well "Earlybirders" it seems we are all in agreement - We love birdsong BUT we have to work at it using the various sources available to us. All I can say is "happy listening".<BR/><BR/>Heather, welcome & thanks for joining the "Earlybirders" & I hope you find something helpful when you drop in. By the way your GBBC reports make interesting reading plus a good list of species. Regards FrankFABhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185823702988992159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-86024087971085215462009-02-20T19:32:00.000+00:002009-02-20T19:32:00.000+00:00Greetings from across the pond! I found you from ...Greetings from across the pond! I found you from Red and the Peanut, and just in time, I see. Birding by ear is becoming an increasingly important tool in my bird ID toolbox. I was bit by the "song bug" a few springs ago when I heard the most beautiful bird sounds that had entered my ear, but I had no clue what on earth it was. After much trial and error on the Cornell Lab's All About Birds pages, I finally found my bird (Wood Thrush), and ever since then I've been trying to learn as many bird sounds as possible. I seem to have pretty decent auditory memory, but it does help to put a face to the voice, too. I have several bird song CDs, which I will have to bring out again soon, much like everyone else, to review all those warblers!Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-47986801461472038502009-02-20T11:24:00.000+00:002009-02-20T11:24:00.000+00:00I am not so great, unless it's a species I know we...I am not so great, unless it's a species I know well, but it's so fun to hear them and not see them and be full of the anticipation that you might!Jaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14057094040409159429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-86222142689143757562009-02-20T04:53:00.000+00:002009-02-20T04:53:00.000+00:00I tend to learn the bird sounds the same way you d...I tend to learn the bird sounds the same way you described - match the song to the face. One of my favorite bird sounds at this time of the year is a big flock of godwits - they seem to be in constant conversation. Many of the other waders are silent until they are disturbed.mickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08230845410313320080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-18299154472958018322009-02-20T00:51:00.000+00:002009-02-20T00:51:00.000+00:00Great post! I have been trying to do some of this...Great post! I have been trying to do some of this myself but have been thrown off due to the fact that the birds I am so used to hearing are now making different calls and songs now that spring is closer.<BR/><BR/>I love it when I can identify a bird solely by its sound. I am not that good at it, but want improve that this year.Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05539583838978744802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-35051054485274550922009-02-19T22:02:00.000+00:002009-02-19T22:02:00.000+00:00I really liked this post. A goal of mine this spri...I really liked this post. A goal of mine this spring is to be able to add more of the migrant's songs to my auditory memory (but lately it seems to take me a lot longer to remember things, and I tend to forget them a lot more quickly--not good for memorizing migrant's songs!). I love stepping outside and within seconds recognizing all the singing birds.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02263405659108175434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906944037951213307.post-69078001260496662222009-02-19T21:18:00.000+00:002009-02-19T21:18:00.000+00:00I am admitedly very poorly skilled at birding by s...I am admitedly very poorly skilled at birding by sound. I do have an iPod with birdJam software which includes pictures and the songs of all of the birds of eastern North America. It has been very helpful. I'm thinking it's time to start reviewing warblers for spring. I think they might be developing a birdJam for Europe.Lynne at Hasty Brookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09187035706322695138noreply@blogger.com