10 replies to this topic

[possumbird]

Any of you birders who also watch golf (I don't play but my husband does and we are always watching the Golf Channel)...have any of you noticed how clearly you can hear the birds? Seems like the birds must be perching right on top of the network microphones.
We are currently watching the John Deere Classic, which is in Illinois or Iowa somewhere, and there is one bird in particular who is becoming very annoying with the song he is singing. I keep thinking I should know what it is but it's not coming to me. Can anyone tell me what it is?

[possumbird]

Oh well...I see a lot of you are viewing but I guess none of you are golfing birders or birding golfers.

[creeker]

Sorry! If I have any spare time off, after family time, I'm out doing something outdoors. I just can't sit and watch golf. But annoying singing could be a Northern Mockingbird.

[Liam]

Here in Augusta we have the Masters Tournament. I usually go birding that week, so no time for watching Golf. However, occasionally my mom might turn on the golf for kicks, and I'll watch it for a little while.

If I remember right, a lot of the bird sounds I heard were not what I would expect to hear here. The tournament takes place in April and usually I would expect to hear a ton of Carolina Wrens, some mockingbirds, and cardinals. Maybe Brown Thrashers as well. The edge of the green is good habitat for them to hang out in.
As I recall, there weren't any of these singing, only other birds I can't remember at the time. My only disclaimer is that I haven't watched golf in a long time, or my memory isn't as good as it could be.

[Forestina]

I used to live in Augusta, GA! Our townhouse complex backed right up to the Master's golf course. I wish I had known about birding back then. It would have been so great to walk down those tree lined streets looking up

Sorry about not answering the golf question. Though I have been known to golf now and then, I can't bring myself to watch it

[cestma]

CBS was famously called out for broadcasting pre-recorded bird songs at one Masters. Actual birders realized the calls were from the wrong birds, at the wrong time of year, or both, and voiced their complaints. (You can Google it.) Tho last I heard, networks had decided to continue the practice on the gounds that most viewers couldn't care less...

--Diane

[possumbird]

Thanks..That's interesting Cestma! I've never heard about CBS pre-recording bird songs...I wonder what the reasoning is? I'll Google it

[BarnSwallow]

Don't they make the birds sing in hushed tones, like the announcers?

[cestma]

Don't they make the birds sing in hushed tones, like the announcers?

LOL!

Hey, since they're fake, anyway, it'd certainly liven things up if they threw in, say, a kookaburra now & then...

--Diane G.

[creeker]

LOL!

Hey, since they're fake, anyway, it'd certainly liven things up if they threw in, say, a kookaburra now & then...

--Diane G.

Or a Peafowl.

[CraigT]

CBS was famously called out for broadcasting pre-recorded bird songs at one Masters. Actual birders realized the calls were from the wrong birds, at the wrong time of year, or both, and voiced their complaints. (You can Google it.) Tho last I heard, networks had decided to continue the practice on the gounds that most viewers couldn't care less...

--Diane

I remember hearing about that. I didn't know they still did it.