Morning all,
 The Grasshopper Sparrow is still present, singing from the field. I went out again this morning with the Ipod, and it responded by flying in to perch on our fence, singing. Got killer views of it as it sang, which only made me more aware of how bad my hearing has become. I watched the bird open its mouth to sing (which it presumably did), but to me it was just barely audible. I did hear it better when it sang the alternate song, which has a more wavering quality. But the song described in Sibley as tik tuk tikeeeeeeez I can hardly hear anymore, even with my hearing aid in. I wear only one hearing aid, in my left ear, as I have lost a good amount of hearing in that ear from high pitched machinary use, supposedly. When I don't wear it, all bird songs sound like they're coming from somewhere to my right, causing me to do the "Sussman Shuffle", turning round like a top to try to pinpoint the sound. The hearing aid had made that problem much better, but still, age has taken its toll on my high frequency hearing.

Also present this morning was a 1st year male Orchard Oriole in the vicinity of the sparrow, in small trees/bushes in the corner. The Baltimore Orioles seem to have disappeared (they nested in our yard the past 2 years).

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD