John Cantelo
Well-known member
This issue was raised with regard to the last UK atlas as the average age of those involved meant that many would have hearing issues potentially resulting in under-recording of birds like the 'crests, Treecreepers, Locustella, etc. Many years ago I occasionally went birding at Stodmarsh with a friend in his mid-seventies and such was his hearing that if he heard a bird reeling I knew it had to be a Savi's rather than a Grasshopper Warbler (which he couldn't hear). I now find myself in a similar position (although only my left ear can pick up Savi's). This spring I was mortified when a couple of Crossbill flew low over my head calling but I couldn't hear a thing.
However, where I find my loss of hearing is really problematic isn't in hearing individual birds but being able to recognise when there's been a decent fall in the autumn. Not hearing the calls of 'crests and struggling to hear Phyloscs etc makes it all to easy not to appreciate that there's been a decent fall and every bush needs to be thoroughly checked out. It also means that when on a birding trip to exotic areas I can't hear the birds to locate them and, unless the tour guide is on the ball, I miss out on being alerted and/or directions to see the bird.
My hearing aids seem to make little difference. I gather that the "SongFinder" ($750 I think) which lowered frequencies to allow birders to hear high frequency sounds is no longer available presumably because it's something of a niche market. This device required shirt-pocket sized device & 'wired' headphones which I guess wasn't ideal either. With advances in technology it ought to be possible to devise something more convenient ....
However, where I find my loss of hearing is really problematic isn't in hearing individual birds but being able to recognise when there's been a decent fall in the autumn. Not hearing the calls of 'crests and struggling to hear Phyloscs etc makes it all to easy not to appreciate that there's been a decent fall and every bush needs to be thoroughly checked out. It also means that when on a birding trip to exotic areas I can't hear the birds to locate them and, unless the tour guide is on the ball, I miss out on being alerted and/or directions to see the bird.
My hearing aids seem to make little difference. I gather that the "SongFinder" ($750 I think) which lowered frequencies to allow birders to hear high frequency sounds is no longer available presumably because it's something of a niche market. This device required shirt-pocket sized device & 'wired' headphones which I guess wasn't ideal either. With advances in technology it ought to be possible to devise something more convenient ....