Shireen, here are a couple of things that have helped me:

* I play bird song CDs or tapes while driving to/from work, especially in
early Spring.

* Birding software like Thayer's BNA (old) or GBNA (newer) have quizzes that
can be run with sound only, no pictures.  They can be done with specific
groups, like warblers, or different states.  I try to run through those
quizzes every Spring several times.  With some programs, you can make up
your own quizzes, so that they contain only birds of concern (like
eliminating western and Caribbean species, and the ones you already know
well).

* If a bird is close enough and loud enough, but still not visible, it might
be recorded with an inexpensive tape recorder, so you can compare with
recordings later.  I've been able to do this a couple of times (but it
didn't work this AM - too far away - still don't know what it was).

* Practice, practice, practice!

I find birding by ear to be very satisfying - after all, we hear probably 10
times as many as we see.  Early in the morning, when the lighting is poor,
many birds are at their most vocal.

Good Luck,
    Bob Hartman
    Colesville, MD


----- Original Message -----
From: "Shireen Gonzaga" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 11:51 AM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] remembering song you hear in the field


> It happens every year. Warblers reduce me to tears and give me a major
inferiority complex.

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