Alexis

Thanks to this course, I do a much better job of seeing rather than just walking and kinda sorta looking. In my neighborhood, I often see American Robins, sparrows (especially House Sparrows), cardinals, mourning doves, plus the inevitable European Starlings and crows. While taking this course, I’ve seen chickadees, red-winged blackbirds, a mallard duck feeding at and below the surface of the water, a pileated woodpecker in flight at dusk that I only believed because the Merlin app confirmed it, red-bellied woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, goldfinches, a house finch, an eastern bluebird, gray catbirds that I’d been hearing but hadn’t seen, and the list goes on. All this without going outside my usual routes for walking. I thought that current circumstances would mean putting on hold  my plan to become a better bird watcher. All praise to the Bird Academy for proving me wrong, and for making me feel less alone!

In the Washington DC suburbs. #3: Gray catbird, northern cardinal, house sparrow, American crow were birds I could identify by their songs/calls. The way I usually identify a mockingbird is by hearing a whole series of bird calls, one right after the other. I've heard and seen more blue jays this year than in other years. I was surprised to realize that I'd forgotten what their calls sound like, but I've got it now. #1: American Robins really do go bob-bob-bobbin' along the ground looking for their meals. I see and hear lots of house sparrows and song sparrows, although the individuals don't tend to hold still long enough for much watching.