ID'ed my first bird today, by sound!

[mjs1973]

I was out walking the dogs today and heard a bird peeping in the woods. I thought to myself, I know that sound, it's a downy woodpecker. I stopped and looked for it, and sure enough, I was right! I had a downy in my backyard this morning so the sound was still pretty fresh in my head. I didn't have my camera with me tho so I didn't get a pic. I went out again later this afternoon, to sit under a tree and just wait for something to come along. I heard that same sound again and knew instantly what it was. No pics of that one either.

After that I sat down under a tree and fell asleep. It was in the 30's today. I never did have anything come along for a photo op so after about an hour of sitting, I jumped in the truck and went for a ride. I saw a lot of hawks and a few deer. Here is my favorite pic of the bunch.

[Lava Lamp]

I was out walking the dogs today and heard a bird peeping in the woods. I thought to myself, I know that sound, it's a downy woodpecker. I stopped and looked for it, and sure enough, I was right! I had a downy in my backyard this morning so the sound was still pretty fresh in my head. I didn't have my camera with me tho so I didn't get a pic. I went out again later this afternoon, to sit under a tree and just wait for something to come along. I heard that same sound again and knew instantly what it was. No pics of that one either.

After that I sat down under a tree and fell asleep. It was in the 30's today. I never did have anything come along for a photo op so after about an hour of sitting, I jumped in the truck and went for a ride. I saw a lot of hawks and a few deer. Here is my favorite pic of the bunch.

That's cool. I remember about two or three years ago I was getting kinda interested in birding and when to a birding/nature festival where a grad student was taking a survey. She asked me how many birds could I identify by sight and how many by sound. I'm a lot better at "by sight" now, and have a few I can identify by sound, but I've got a long way to go.

[paulnj]

I was there 5 years ago too.... now I can ID 100's by ear

That so rocks that you know the sound of DOWP!

Just food for thought, but how many voices do you recognise without seeing them ;) The same thing applies to nature sounds if you tune in enough !

[Loupey]

Great shot, Michael! The low angle of the sun puts a great warm cast on the two deer. Wish we had snow (or something) in Ohio. Right now it looks like I live on the moon (a moon that has a lot of bare, gray trees, at least).

Though, I thought I saw a red-headed woodpecker in some nearby woods the other day. I'll try to shoot it soon.

Anyways, nice fresh kill.

[mjs1973]

I was there 5 years ago too.... now I can ID 100's by ear

That so rocks that you know the sound of DOWP!

Just food for thought, but how many voices do you recognise without seeing them ;) The same thing applies to nature sounds if you tune in enough !

I can tell a crow without seeing it too!! It's a good point about the voices of people. I have never thought of it that way before. I hear lots of birds when I'm out and about, but have never really put much thought into IDing them. For me it has always been just background sounds of nature. I will be paying more attention to them now.

[Chunk]

I've been ID'ing thousands of Canada Geese that are flying the past few days by sound.

[walterick]

I can ID an owl like no body's business ;)

Actually the only other bird I can ID are hummingbirds, which I learned to ID while living in California. Most people don't believe me when I tell them that shrill cry is a hummingbird, but I always prove myself

Nice shot.

[paulnj]

Canada geese by ear... good one

Crow huh.... we have 2 species of crow here(look exactly alike) and the calls are different ;)

So , what owls do you know the call to ? Great horned, screech, pygmy owl, flamulated. do tell How about barn owl and sawhet ;)