Date: Jan 19, 2015
Time: 4:02pm
Location: Farm Island Trail, Pierre SD
Temperature: 50°F
Skies: Sunny, clear
According to the Wisconsin phenology calendar I have at hand, black capped chickadees began their spring courtship song on Jan 7.
As with most events of this nature, I think it is more accurate to say that black capped chickadees begin their spring courtship song January 7th-ish.
I took a walk around Farm Island yesterday and recorded some video of the black capped chickadee, mainly to capture the sounds. My phone is not of sufficient quality in either sound or video to do justice to the moment but it's enough to give you the idea. You should crank the volume or listen through headphones.
Scientists recognize that sound provides critical information about ecosystems. Science Friday has several articles that I have linked below that explore this idea. And of course birders and birdwatchers know that the first time they encounter a bird is usually through sound rather than sight.
Note: If you aren't a birdwatcher, you should begin. Immediately. Birding is a big step and a different thing all together so I will give you a hall pass for that one.
Sound is an important part of experience, any experience. Along with smell and touch (which includes physical movement), sound enriches an experience and helps us "own" it. In my opinion, virtual field trips and experiences will never replace actual field trips and experiences mainly because the sound component is compromised even with "surround sound" and there is a complete lack of smell and touch engagement.
Nothing replaces doing.
http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/07/19/2013/capturing-the-sounds-of-biodiversity.html
http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/04/22/2011/listening-to-wild-soundscapes.html
http://www.sciencefriday.com/blogs/06/21/2012/tune-in-to-the-biophony.html
http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/04/25/2014/recording-the-global-soundscape.html
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