Ear birding. Foggy & overcast at Double Trouble early this morning (6:30 AM) and a lot of birds were singing but not showing. I'm glad I know the songs of a lot of them, but it is fundamentally unsatisfying to only hear pretty birds.
The Veery was pretty easy to pick out by ear. Here's the test I run when I think I've heard one: Does it sound like a theremin? If yes: Veery.
The Hooded Warbler was more difficult. I heard a song I didn't know, knew it was probably a warbler, knew HOWA had been reported there, looked up the bird in Peterson for his transcription and was pretty sure I'd heard it when after the 2nd time around the loop I heard it again in the same place as the first. Except his transcription leaves out a "weet." When I came home and played the song on my computer it was almost exactly what I'd heard--a little less piercing on the recording. I could have been fooled into thinking it was a Carolina Wren if I hadn't seen and heard one today.
The Willow Flycatcher I heard once and saw it briefly fly (not well enough to make an i.d.) but the "fitz-bew" of a Willow is fairly easy to register and remember.
With all the listening I was very happy to actually see birds today--even a flying Mallard was a good sight. The most amusing scene was watching the Barn Swallows fly under the bridge to their nest where I could hear their chicks begging for food.
In all 35 species, covering a large portion of the park.
Mallard 4
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Herring Gull 1 f/o
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 1 Heard
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Heard
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Heard
Willow Flycatcher 1
Eastern Phoebe 4
Great Crested Flycatcher 4 Heard
Eastern Kingbird 4
Blue Jay 1 Heard
Fish Crow 1
Tree Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 6 Nesting under Carriage Rd Bridge.
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 1
Veery 1 Heard
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 8
Brown Thrasher 1
Ovenbird 7 Heard
Black-and-white Warbler 2 Heard
Common Yellowthroat 6 Heard
Hooded Warbler 1 Heard
Prairie Warbler 2 Heard
Eastern Towhee 2 Heard
Chipping Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 5
House Finch 1 Heard
American Goldfinch 1 Heard
No "trouble" finding the Hooded ? Mary heard it well but the darn thing wouldnt show ! then it was right above us all the time and I missed it completely ! ;(> Peter
ReplyDeleteHey Larry, sorry you weren't there when we were. Yes, heard, but not seen.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wish we could have joined you guys but Chincoteague, despite the winds, was a success--BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH.
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