Thanks for the reminder about the hummingbird feeders, Josh! Gotta dust
them off!
Merlin (and I) are constantly tricked by the local Blue Jay that imitates a
Red-Bellied Woodpecker quite adroitly! I also have a device called a Terra (
https://www.terralistens.com/) that is basically a receiver that streams my
backyard back to me constantly. I bought it as part of a Kickstarter years
ago, and just got it about 6 months ago (finally!). I find its ID to be
quite ... sus(picious), as my kids would say, but it is interesting.
Liz
Salisbury, MA
<lizpease...>
On Wed, Apr 23, 2025 at 4:49 PM Josh <opihi...> wrote:
> Hi MassBirders,
>
> I would not be too entirely trusting of Merlin’s reports if you have not
> backed it up with your own observations of the birds it lists, or at least
> listening to Merlin’s recording that it claims are the species in question.
> I often run Merlin while I’m out in our yard, and while it is right 99% of
> the time, and often detects the presence of less conspicuous birds before I
> do, I also catch it in mistakes often enough to keep me skeptical. In
> particular, it does get fooled by mimicry (almost as often as I do myself).
> On multiple occasions I’ve noticed it identifying a European Starling’s
> imitation of Eastern Meadowlark for the real-deal EAME. I’ve also caught it
> falling for a Blue Jay’s rendition of a Red-shouldered Hawk. So, maybe the
> crossbill and swallow that surprised you were actually lurking in your
> neighborhood, but maybe not….
>
> On another topic, a couple of birders in Granby (Hampshire County)
> reported hummingbirds at their feeders today; time to start brewing the
> sugar water!
>
> Good birding,
>
> Josh
>
>
> Joshua S. Rose, Ph.D.
> Amherst, MA
> https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/opihiman > https://www.facebook.com/opihi >
> Writer/compiler, Bird Observer
> https://www.birdobserver.org/ >
> Columnist, “Earth Matters”
> https://www.gazettenet.com/search?bodysearch=earth+matters > https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/category/earth-matters/ >
> Vice-president, Hampshire Bird Club
> https://hampshirebirdclub.org/ >
> Northeast Chapter head, Dragonfly Society of the Americas
> https://www.dragonflysocietyamericas.org/northeastdsa >
>
> > On Apr 23, 2025, at 8:40 AM, Robert Ross <plumisl...> wrote:
> >
> > Here is as list of the birds recorded in my backyard this AM. I live
> > in the Byfield section of Newbury. I left Merlin on from 6:30-8:30
> > this morning. A few nice surprises.
> >
> > American Robin
> > Red-winged Blackbird
> > White-breated Nuthatch
> > Yellow-rumped Warbler
> > Savannah Sparrow
> > Palm Warbler
> > American Goldfinch
> > Carolina Wren
> > Northern Cardinal
> > White-throated Sparrow
> > House Finch
> > Song Sparrow
> > Tufted Titmouse
> > Black-capped Chickadee
> > Red-bellied Woodpecker
> > Blue Jay
> > Dark-eyed Junco
> > Chipping Sparrow
> > Eastern Bluebird
> > Morning Dove
> > American Crow
> > Brown-headed Cowbird
> > Eastern Phoebe
> > Canada Goose
> > Red Crossbill (!)
> > Northern Rough-winged Swallow (!)
> > Red-breasted Nuthatch
> > Fish Crow
> >
> > Faithfully submitted,
> >
> > Robert Ross
> > <plumisl...>
> > Byfield, MA
>
>
>
