I can't claim to have expert skills but I can tell you what I do for "heard
only" birds: I report the minimum number that can account for what I
heard. If I hear two singing simultaneously, I report two. If I hear a
bird sing to the left and then -- a second or later -- I hear one of the
same species singing distantly to the right, then I count two. Similarly,
if I hear one that sounds very close and then I barely hear one in the
distance, it seems reasonable to report two.
I'm sure that, when birding by ear, I miss many birds -- but that's also
true if I only consider birds that I saw. For every fox sparrow that I see,
there may be 3 or 4 more foraging deep underneath a bush that I never
detect.
Ar Aoine 28 Meith 2024 ag 08:10, scríobh Heather Gervais via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu>:
>
Question for the birding by ear folks that post their sightings to eBird:
>
do you go by ear in making your counts? I'm really enjoying improving my
>
ear skills, but couldn't imagine being able to determine the number of
>
individuals by ear alone. Especially as in learning that in many species,
>
only the males sing.
>
>
Peace,
>
Heather
>
>
Heather Gervais
>
Certified Personal Trainer
>
Fitness Instructor
>
Spanish Interpreter
>
Good person
>
>
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
>
- Mahatma Gandhi
>
>
Message sent from my iPhone. Please excuse its brevity and occasional
>
typos.
>
>
>
On Jun 28, 2024, at 7:48 AM, Michael Fleming via Tweeters <
>
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
Hello;
>
>
Rob is definitely spot on regarding this. Birding by ear is a big
>
advantage, it just takes a little time and practice to get there. If you
>
have a particular spot you like to bird (mine was Discovery Park) and learn
>
the birds and calls of that area you will find that this will translate
>
into recognizing these birds in other areas you visit. This was stressed
>
in the Master Birder Program that I participated in, and I relied a lot on
>
it when I was leading birding trips for Discovery Park and WOS.
>
>
Cheers and Good Birding;
>
>
Michael Fleming
>
Ballard, Washington
>
MichaelFleming0607 AT gmail.com
>
>
>
>
On Fri, Jun 28, 2024 at 6:10 AM Rob Faucett via Tweeters <
>
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
>>
Hi Jim - short answer is "birding by ear."
>>
>>
There will be many more reply and I'll get to something longer. But that
>>
is really good, and fun!!, place to start.
>>
>>
Happy to help further. Call any time!
>>
>>
Rob
>>
>>
-;
>>
Rob Faucett
>>
+1(206) 619-5569
>>
robfaucett at mac.com
>>
Seattle, WA 98105
>>
>>
> On Jun 28, 2024, at 5:54 AM, Jim Betz via Tweeters <
>>
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>>
>
>>
> Hi all,
>>
>
>>
>
>>
> I need some help. I often use eBird to look up "where are people
>>
finding birds" by
>>
>
>>
> checking recent checklists. This usually helps me to pick a place in
>>
Skagit County
>>
>
>>
> where we live because I can see 'what's happening' quickly.
>>
>
>>
> However, what I've noticed is that there are lots of birders who are
>>
posting
>>
>
>>
> checklists with 2x 3x, and even more as many birds as I'm finding when I
>>
>
>>
> go to the same place at the same time of day.
>>
>
>>
>
>>
> ===> So my question is 'what are they doing that I'm not'?
>>
>
>>
>
>>
> Here is what I am doing. I walk and stop about every 30 feet or less
>>
- and listen
>>
>
>>
> first and then try to spot the more nearby birds I'm hearing. When I
>>
get a visual I
>>
>
>>
> will try to identify that bird. I -often- hear birds that I can't id
>>
from the song/call.
>>
>
>>
> I'm fairly new to birding - started about 5 years ago. When I am on
>>
guided tours
>>
>
>>
> the guide -always- is way ahead of me. My primary focus is getting
>>
pictures and I
>>
>
>>
> rarely carry anything other than my camera with long lens - but when my
>>
wife is
>>
>
>>
> with me she has her bins and that helps (some). At least 9 out of 10
>>
times I go
>>
>
>>
> out I'm by myself rather than with a partner or group.
>>
>
>>
> - Jim
>>
>
>>
> _______________________________________________
>>
> Tweeters mailing list
>>
> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>
>
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>
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>
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>
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