Birding by Ear: Sweetwater Trail

Birding by Ear for Beginners (and the Rest of Us!) at Sweetwater Trail, starting from Rohr Park

Part 3: Connect Noises with Pictures that Stick

Leaders Willow Eichler and Elena Adams

Learn to enjoy and identify birds by ear! This skill allows you to more easily identify the birds that are all around you, especially when they are hiding under cover in chaparral or high up in riparian woodland treetops. Before our walk, we will study a few common songs to come up with pictures, or even scenes, that can help us remember some bird ID’s. Bring your imagination, along with all the usual stuff.

Bring binoculars, hats, sunscreen, and water.

We will meet at Rohr Park in the larger lot (use Gate C to access the correct lot). The trail is wide and flat, easily wheelchair accessible on a mix of packed crushed stone and concrete. The trail is mostly sunny with occasional shade. Plentiful parking, bathrooms, and water fountains available.

From National Audubon's article "How to Memorize Bird Songs by Using Mental Images," the third article in a series on Birding by Ear: "It happens to the best of us ... You hear a familiar tune while you’re out in the field or at your window, and you know you should have the ID down pat. But you can’t remember what species is behind it. Of course, unlike humans, birds don’t take offense. But that momentary lapse can be frustrating, especially if the bird never reveals itself.

“So what’s a birder with a shoddy memory to do? … there’s a fix: a well-studied, image-based technique that makes IDing birds by their songs a breeze. It's a system that can be used to memorize almost anything, but it’s especially efficient for linking abstract perceptions like paintings or music to a name or category.” 

Capped at 24 participants. Registration required.