Hearbirds Course Discussion

Re: Listening to Birds

Richard USA — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:49:31 GMT

What is the best way to learn to translate what you hear from a bird into the search language of the program? I am new to this and not sure how to tell the difference between chirps and trills. Listening to the sounds from the program helps. Are there other guides that show visual images of sound recordings?

Re: Listening to Birds

DoityBoid — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:48:20 GMT

My wife and I have only been birding for a few months, but she is the pro when it comes to identifying bird calls. She lived near a State Park growing up and although she was not as into birds as now, she still remembers learning the calls that way.

As for me, it does not help being almost deaf in one ear ! But, then again, my wife's eyesight in one eye is not that great, so I'm able to pick up the birds more quickly in my binoculars than her.

Guess that's why people say we're meant for each other .... with her ears and my eyes, we almost make a complete person !

Re: Listening to Birds

luv2bird — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:10:03 GMT

Be prepared for visits from predators as well as little song birds. If you put out food to attract certain birds, or if you play songs and calls of a raptors favorite prey they will eventually perch nearby and pay a visit for a quick snack!

Re: Listening to Birds

MarsheHawk — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:10:41 GMT

I'm the one who whistles back to Titmice and drives them crazy. I can definitely get them to come and investigate the "interloper".

I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts =)

Re: Listening to Birds

DC Collins — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:33:23 GMT

let us know how well it works

Re: Listening to Birds

mint5jf — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:23:01 GMT

My husband just put up a speaker on the outside of our house to play a cd of bird calls to call in the birds. We haven't tried it out yet but I am anxious to do so. I found this out by searching the net on how to attract birds. We get the same birds every day and I want new ones. I hope this works. And I love the microphone idea. I will try that too.

Re: Listening to Birds

Jen — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:13:01 GMT

spottedowl:
I drive my friends nuts as well with bird identifications. I sort of enjoy it.

I agree. My 12 yr old daughter and were sitting on the porch yesterday evening when a chickadee flew up and sat on the edge of the porch and looked at us. I didn't say a word. BUT she said 'Yea, I know it's a chickadee' !!!! To which I busted out laughing because she learned dispite herself!

Re: Listening to Birds

spottedowl — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:07:59 GMT

I drive my friends nuts as well with bird identifications. I sort of enjoy it.

Re: Listening to Birds

Jen — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:05:30 GMT

Tominator:
I drive my buddy nuts identifying birds as we walk in the woods looking for shed antlers or cutting firewood. He could care less.

I drive my 12 yr old nuts with it but my 5 yr old loves trying to pick each bird out! Keep trying and you'll find someone who likes to identify them with you.

Jen

Re: Listening to Birds

Lizbd_ldy — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:23:07 GMT

the birds are talking, that what happen at my apt,complex back yard,this very AM. i have no idea who many species were " talking" at the same time, but at different tones, ebbs, and flows, but it was heavenly music to hear, I feel that they were " praising " God for giving them a present of the " Present.

Re: Listening to Birds

valleygirl — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:39:02 GMT

I hear many birds that don't actually come to my feeders. Mostly Northern Flickers, Blue Jays, CHickadees, Ruby-crowned kinglet, bluebirds, crows, various hawks, meadowlarks, and Rufous-sided Towhees.

Re: Listening to Birds

Tominator — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:42:50 GMT

I drive my buddy nuts identifying birds as we walk in the woods looking for shed antlers or cutting firewood. He could care less.

Re: Listening to Birds

Aion-Nara — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:38:54 GMT

That is what they do at the nature center I visit. Bird watchers can just sit, watch and listen. I would love to hear that all of the time at my house and yet I live in an apartment and not a house that I own. I kind of make my myself a little crazy though trying to figure out the song and who is singing into the microphone. Some I know automatically like chicadees, white breasted nuthatch, blue jays, cardinals, crows flying overhead, scolding well fed squirrels at the foot of the feeders and more...

Then I pounce upon the people in nearby chairs and take them from their blissful, bird meditation by asking "what was that? who is singing now? what bird is that?....their answers are always "I don't know". Ok really the bird watching neighbors are usually nice and solicitous!

Which birds do you hear the most I wonder?!

Listening to Birds

Purcell-Bill — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:25:53 GMT

If you want to listen to birds in the winter, do as I have done.

Place a microphone under an eave of your house (so it does no get wet), and run the wire into the house to the computer. In this way, one can listen to the birds sing and make other noises at my feeders.