Birdsong Blog - Part 1

I just started taking a birdsong course specifically designed for visually impaired people. Since about 80% of birdwatchers identify birds by hearing, as opposed to actually seeing them, what better group of people to tailor a birding class for, right? I'm so excited about it - especially with it being early spring. The birds I hear chirping every day now have always fascinated me, wondering what birds they are. Since this course is self-paced, I essentially have all the time I need in order to complete it. There are four assignments for the course, and I thought it would be fun to include them in this blog as I go along.

My first assignment was to go for a walk and describe the birds I hear along the way. With that in mind, I put Sadie on leash, and we went for a stoll in our local park. Since I live in suburbia, I get a mix of the suburban birds plus some of the ones more commonly found further into the city. I was able to recognize a mourning dove or two on our walk, but also a few wrens. I swear I heard an indigo bunting, but I'm going to have to investigate - I am not positive they would be hanging out in my area or not. They aren't one of the types I hear about a lot around Austin. Finches and sparrows seem to congregate around my apartment complex, because I hear them constantly! It's like constant background music. :) I'm actually waiting to hear a mockingbird - it's our state bird - surely they live around the state capitol, right?