Identifying Bird Sounds Using the Merlin App

With the season changing from winter to spring the bird songs in the neighborhood park come alive. This time of year we start to get visitors to the balcony - trying to pull out the coco liners from the flower baskets. The crows always tear off a lot. The doves can’t seem to figure it out. After being stuck in the house for two weeks because of testing positive for Covid, we finally decided to start our morning walk schedule again in the neighborhood park. In the colder months there are some chirps, but now there are too many to keep track of - unless you have the Merlin App. The first bird we saw was a very large red headed woodpecker. As soon as I saw him I turned the app on to find out specifically what he was. It was a downy woodpecker. He had to be about a foot long. Then there as the cardinal, tufted titmouse, and northern flicker. I wish we could have seen them too! Then came the Carolina wren, robin, mockingbird, and red-bellied woodpecker. The last of the bunch were sparrows, blue jays and goldfinches! What a grand selection of feathered friends. We were able to walk a mile and a half without getting too worn out. Each day seems to be getting a little better. It’s amazing how much energy you lose when you are ill. We take a lot for granted. Being able to walk in the park feels so good. Hearing the bird songs makes it so much better.