Another advantage of BirdNET is that it displays real-time spectrograms in
field, so you can see the checkmark “Pseweet” of a Pacific-slope Flycatcher
live, and often spot other unheard calls/songs in the background.
Like resorting to a dictionary to look up a word you don’t know how to spell –
“pterodactyl” – I find BirdNET’s sound-ID and Merlin’s photo-ID useful in
giving me ideas when I’m stuck. BirdNET is still (far?) behind Merlin in terms
of accurate IDs, but it is ever improving.
--tg
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Andy
Thomas
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2020 1:21 PM
To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Jason Wolf <wolfjason71@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [obol] Re: Let's talk swallows for a minute -- correction
AllAboutBirds.ORG and Xeno-Canto.ORG
On Monday, May 25, 2020, 10:10:15 AM PDT, Andy Thomas
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
My personal project this year has been to learn to be a better ear birder. I
haven't even taken on swallows yet, but there are several resources that I have
found useful. I downloaded BirdNET to my Android phone. (I don't think there is
an ios version, so far, but there may be other apps that are helpful.) Birdnet
allows your phone to record bird sounds, then offers suggested identification.
It is not always accurate, but it is pretty good when you are able to get a
clear(ish) recording. It often points me in the right direction, at least.
BirdNET is a free app, collaboratively developed by Cornell and Chemnitz
Universities. I also make use of the sound files at Macaulay Library and
Xeno-Canto. My drill, when I am learning a sound or verifying an ID, is to
compare to the sound samples at AllAboutBirds.com first, then, if needed, go to
the link on that page to the Macaulay collection for that bird. Then perhaps to
Xeno-Canto for a deeper dive.
Others will have to suggest ideas for flight-pattern recognition.
On Monday, May 25, 2020, 8:18:15 AM PDT, Jason Wolf
<wolfjason71@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:wolfjason71@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Like most birders, I'm generally very patient with the birds, but swallows
always test my patience. Because.....the dang critters never stop!
ID on perched birds is straight forward. So, here are a few questions about
swallows in flight......
-Can you ID swallows by sound alone? Like, eyes closed, could you say which
swallow species were nearby? If so, please share your tips on ID of swallows by
sound
-Are there behaviors or flight patterns that you use to ID swallows? Not
details of plumage......just talking behaviors or flight patterns. If you have
any, please share your tips.
Thanks, and please reply to the list and not just to me so we can all
learn....... After all, how else are we going nail Oregon's first Cave Swallow?
-JW
