Exercising My Ears

Besides studying the sounds of owls and frogs and toads, I am now studying for a new survey of secretive marsh birds.  I study to learn the sound of one marsh bird from another.  Marsh birds are so secretive it's difficult for researchers to know how they are doing.  So Audobon asked for birders to participate in a marsh bird survey.  I listen to the sounds of the six more important birds to survey including the American bittern, least bittern, pied billed grebe, yellow rail, Virginia rail, sora and olive sided flycatcher.  These birds make sounds that include the sound of a pump, a manual typewriter, metallic tics, "kuh," "keow - keow - keewop," "per-wheep," "gid-ick gid-ick,"  and, one of my favorites, "Whip three beer."  We also study other species that hang out in marshes like red necked grebe, eared grebe, western grebe, black crowned night heron, common Gallinule, American coot, Sandhill crane, Wilson Snipe, Wilsons Phalarope, Black Tern, Forester's tern, Marsh Wren, Yellow billed cuckoo, swamp sparrow, and the yellow headed blackbird.  I've been practicing these marsh bird quizzes for hours now.  I listen very carefully.  The examples they give us sometimes have other sounds in them.  I can' t help myself.  If I hear a frog, I identify the frog.  I'm not supposed to pay attention to the frogs now!  If I hear an "oooh" and I think it's an owl.  I'm not supposed to know owls on this.  Forget frogs and owls!  Concentrate on marsh birds.  There are so many sounds in the swamps at night.  I understand now why some people don't like camping - it's just too darn noisy!  With every quiz my score is improving.  I can get this.