Are You Losing Bird Songs?

Ditch

Really, probably aimed at those of ye of 'middle age' or more. Though, perhaps anyone exposed to loud noise or even a 'Walkman' type thing for some period of time .....

See, tests have shown that I'm stone deaf in my right ear. My left ear's just a wreck. So, that's the one I try to hear with.

I've had tinnitus, right ear, pretty much since I can remember. I've also lost the ability to hear god only knows how many birds!

It all sort of started when I was out with my wife and a mate, birding. He turned to her and said, " Hear that? That's a Grasshopper Warbler! "

Now, I'm well aware of the sound they make. And I'm hearing absolutely nothing! Like; WTF?!

Later, I'm stood there, Wood Warbler about a foot from my face. Beak opening wide. Chest puffing. All going on. And there's someone telling me; " Look, he's singing just for you! " And there was me thinking he was having an asthma attack! Not a bloody sound!

I just thought it all a tad novel, at that time. But, then it started getting silly. I was trying to teach my then wife a bit about birds and birding. So I got a bird ID video to show her.

Night after night, there's Bill Oddie burbling on about the lilting song of the what ever. There's this bird, opening and shutting its mouth. I'm hearing nothing but Oddie talking about it?!

Started asking the wife. " Can you hear anything? I mean, is that bird making a sound? " And she'd assure me it very certainly was. Loud and clear. Then it went from novel to depressing

BirdTrack invites us to report " Casual Observations " or else a full list of every bird seen or heard any place at a given time. I must have given them about five hundred 'casuals'. Can't possibly attempt a full report. God alone knows what's singing and calling out there!

If I had that tape, or similar, I'd sit and listen. Draw up a list of which birds sounds I've lost. I could repeat it each year. See my Year List grow God. How depressing would That be?

There could be Nightjars chirring incessantly around me, comes the season. If they are and I can't hear them? I really don't want to know!

Anyone else aware of this condition in themselves? Got a List of the Lost?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The pitch, or frequency, of sounds we can hear changes right through our lives. It varies between men and women but both lose access to one end of the auditory spectrum.

Teenagers can hear frequencies no adult can hear. It happens us all. I used to be able to identify some birdsong at a half mile or more but now much less so.

Quite often the tones and frequencies of recorded sound can be different to those in reality.

It's quite natural and is seperate from hearing-loss as such, which also comes with old age I'm afraid.

If you can't hear birdsong on a tape I suggest it's hearing loss rather than ordinary frequency loss with age. You should see an audiologist as many hearing aids can help correct that loss. I often nature watch with 2 people, one is profoundly deaf and totally reliant on hearing aids. He can hear many bird songs. Another is a man in his 80's who struggles to hear conversation but hearing aids have recently helped him enjoy the sounds of nature once again.

So in answer to your question: No I'm not losing Bird Songs but I do need to be closer to them than usual. That said, close means hundreds of yards away. If you can see but not hear a Wood Warbler you need to see about hearing aids.

Ditch

Hmm. Cheers. Thought provoking answer .....

Fact is, I've got a hearing aid. Had it some time now. It lives in a little tub, on the side here

See; I've had major testing done on my ears twice now. Once some years ago ~ probably about the time I started 'losing birds'. They noted then that there was certainly something going amiss. They wanted me to come back for follow ups. But I left the area.

Much more recently, they gave me my hearing aid. Then shouted in my face! God! Conversations were like loud TV's and the sound of tyres on gravel was absolutely to die for!

Bloody thing lasted a week. Packed up. Sent it to Dublin. They sent it back. Week later ....? I got sick and tired of it all by about the third time

So, yeah; Blame me, if ye like, for not sending my aid for repair each week .....

Meanwhile though, I can hear the sparrows in my hedge cheap. So I'm not That deaf. I'm listening to Pink Floyd and one of my Dogs just shouted. But, can I hear a robin sing? Dunno. Haven't heard one for a while, thinking about it.

So, ye reckon a working hearing aid could bring back the birds?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Yes.