Tag Archive for 'Pine Sisken'

Ramblin’ Rose’s First Adventure

Published on May 20, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Yes! I’ve done it! Oh no what have I done!? Sitting on the side of I-90 stranded with a broken transmission, I realized my decision to launch a new birding business is not looking very good – in fact it is feeling pretty dismal.

For years I have shared my passion for birds and birding by teaching classes and leading tours as a naturalist at Discovery Park. Recently the City of Seattle Park’s Department reorganized the education staff into teams. The team I was assigned focuses on school students from kindergarten to grade 12. No longer will I be providing classes and tours to adults and members of the general public. Many wonderful Discovery Park constituents and members of the public with whom I had shared countless birding experiences had pushed, urged, literally kicked me into starting my own bird touring business. Thus Ramblin’ Rose Birding Adventures was born.

The emotional swings of creating a small business have been wild. But I had successfully filled the first adventure with clients, and now Scott and I were supposed to be winging our way to Eastern Washington for a fam trip. An opportunity to check routes, locate birds, ensure that my first adventure would go smoothly.

But the brand new transmission in my Nissan Pathfinder had other ideas. While winding up I-90 toward Snoqualimie Pass, a shudder and a plume of white smoke suggested an early end to our outing.

Frustrated, angry and impatient while waiting for a long-delayed tow truck, I paced the side of the highway. Scott calmly attempted to console me. But I was having none of it – until… Why, yes! That was a Red-winged Crossbill flying across six lanes of traffic. The unmistakable sound of its turn signal call note drifted down over the din of traffic. Readjusting my attitude and focus, I began fighting through the chaotic noise and rush of traffic to pick up any sounds and sights of life on this freeway.

High above, floating against the green backdrop of the Cascade Mountains was a lonely Raven. Its glossy black wings shimmering in the spring sun. Can it be? – yes, it is the distinct Ziiiiiiiiip of Pine Siskens flocking and feeding amongst the Red Alders. And there just beyond the shoulder near the edge of the evergreen forest were a pair of Robins feeding. They seemed unconcerned and oblivious to the rush of civilization pouring past their habitat.

Scott and I celebrated the joy of discovering life – bird life – in the midst of noise, chaos and car trouble. Perhaps we wouldn’t make the family trip today, but the birds would be there awaiting the arrival of the first Ramblin’ Rose Birding Adventure.

Birding by Ear

Published on April 26, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Why learn to bird by ear? Birding by ear is essential to all birders, opening an entirely new dimension of understanding and awareness. Learning to recognize birds by their calls and songs allows you to know birds just as you would a friend’s voice across a crowded room or a mother discerning her child’s cry of “MOM” amongst a chorus of “MOMs” on a playground. Birding by ear also opens up a whole new world of recognizing behaviors, keying in on sounds above the head, identifying lurking and hidden birds in the thick of spring growth and separating difficult species from one another.

The high chittering falling down from above reminds you to look up. The sun’s glare is barring any view of field marks. But immediately you recognize the sound of Violet-green Swallows. Spend enough time looking and sure enough they are no longer back lit and their white rump patches become obvious – confirmed!

The excited caw! caw! caw! of a murder of crows – what and why are they so upset? Focus in with your binoculars and a perfectly camouflaged Great Horned Owl pressed against the trunk of a tree comes into view. We would have walked right by without noticing this stunning predator but the crows raucous voices remind us to look.

Many birders are intimidated by learning the many different songs and calls that fill the bird world. But you needn’t be. The language of the bird world can be mastered and translated. There are a vast array of tools to help. CDs, tapes, and iPods will allow you to listen and learn at your leisure. During a long commute, while cleaning house, any time that is convenient for listening to these tools can help. Taking a class from an experienced guide will aide in the mastery of birding by ear.

Developing your own tips, tricks and tools is essential. Personalize your learning. The bubbling song of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet is now the “teeter-totter” bird. The whiney chatter of the Pine Siskens are forever known as Pine Ziiiiipkens! An orange rolling off a table? Orange-crowned Warblers descending trill of course. By placing your own description to the music around us it becomes your own.

Some field guides have excellent descriptions of bird sounds but nothing compares to the original Peterson Guides. Roger Tory Peterson had an incredible knack for translating the language of birds into English. He neatly separates the impossible Flycatchers with simple catch phrases that everyone can learn. Willow Flycatcher says Fitzbew! and the Olive-sided Flycatcher – Quick Three Beers! How fun and easy!

But by far the best way to learn birding by ear is to get outside and go birding. Pick up your binoculars and scope, spend time looking at a bird while it sings. Focus on the gray and orange red bird – does it say Cheeriup Cherrioh as a American Robin – or a monosyllable, discordant whistle of the Varied Thrush. Scan the trees, is it really a robin’s cheery song or a Black-headed Grosbeak or Western Tanager? Auditory cues such as a slurry wolf whistle of the grosbeak or a chibit of the tanager will narrow the identification – the visual contact will confirm the id.

Soon your everyday life will become richer. Now as you are walking across the parking lot to the mall in anticipation of the big spring sale you may be stopped in your tracks by the sweet conceit of the White-crowned Sparrow – “See Me Pretty, Pretty Me!” When you hear someone insisting “Drink your TEA!” an Eastern Towhee is nearby or if you are in a neighborhood on the West Coast, it will be the Bewick’s Wren demanding that you “Drink your TEA”!

Just that quickly your world will become a three dimensional experience with the previously unseen, unnoticed, unidentified popping into auditory view. Time, practice and being outside birding will open an entirely new world.