Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Bird Call

This morning as I was walking to cool off from my early run, I could hear a distinctive bird song, "whir-a, whir-a, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep". The bird was in a big tree near our home, I couldn't see it, but I could hear that it was just over my head. And the bird seemed to be counting. First the "whir-a, whir-a" and 6 cheeps, then the "whir-a, whir-a" and 8 cheeps, then 10, then 12, and even 14 cheeps. I kept walking and didn't hear if it kept going on and on, or if it took a break and started over again.

Counting by evens.

I thought that was kind of odd, so I decided to see if I could find the bird and it's song online. There are 3 different kinds of birds that I see in our yard, but I only know the name of one, the cardinal. So I googled and found a recording of a song that is very similar to the one I hear around our house, but that song is not exactly the same speed as my bird, and the whir-a is a little different than the bird I heard this morning. I kept searching and I read that: Cardinals learn their songs, and as a result the songs vary regionally.

Also, I read that: Cardinals have a distinctive alarm call, a short metallic 'chip' sound. In some cases they will also utter a series of chipping notes. It is often easy to locate Cardinals by their alarm call, since they will make it readily when humans walk nearby.

Sorry if I scared you, little guy!

10 comments:

orchard_girl said...

Nate will be so proud of your birding skills!
h

Suzanne said...

If that bird can count by twos, he's probably ready for 1st grade! ;) How fun! :D

Donna Boucher said...

I love the loud, lovely cardinals call :o)

They are easy to spot as they love to sit high up at the top of the trees.

I hear one right now :o)

Deanne said...

I miss seeing the beautiful cardinals in Michigan! I didn't know that about their 'songs' though. I'm also amazed that you were able to count the cheeps! Amazing! Say 'hello' for me the next time you see a cardinal, tell them I miss them! :)

**you don't have lightening bugs in Hawaii too, do you?

wendy said...

H.E. - I'm not sure if Nathan will be ALL that impressed by my identifying a cardinal. But I'm proud!

Deanne - I don't think so. But don't worry, we have PLENTY of other bugs!

Anonymous said...

It's cool you were able to listen to that a bit. I am outside as much as possible and I rarely think to pay attention to bird calls and what not.

Deanne, we have lighening bugs here in the summer. The only bugs I look forward to seeing.

Anonymous said...

Wendy, It was fun to read about Emily and her imaginary friend. She is so cute and asks such interesting questions.

We pruned raspberries on Saturday and I was excited to hear the sounds of the Chickadees (sp?) we heard and watch so much last spring and the Pheasants that have been around our place all fall and winter. I love spring. Mom

Amanda said...

How fun! One of my favorite things about springtime is hearing the birds singing again. Later in the year when our trees in the front yard are all leafed out and the birds are singing it's almost like living in a tree house.

nikko said...

That is so fun. We see cardinals once in a while in our back yard.

I need to run again. I hate running, but I got used to it a couple of years back. Now I have slacked off and need to do it again. I found the only way I can do it is if I run first thing in the morning so no one sees me, and if I have tunes with me. :o)

Super Happy Girl said...

I don't know if Nathan would be all that impressed, but I am!.
I love cardinals (even if on my blog I misidentify it and called it "robin").
Look at you, you are such an investigator :)