Comments on: Spring Comes (and Goes) in Sussex County http://www.elharo.com/blog/birding/2007/04/23/spring-comes-and-goes-in-sussex-county/ Ranting and Raving Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:22:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Elliotte Rusty Harold http://www.elharo.com/blog/birding/2007/04/23/spring-comes-and-goes-in-sussex-county/#comment-63956 Elliotte Rusty Harold Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:07:35 +0000 http://www.elharo.com/blog/birding/2007/04/23/spring-comes-and-goes-in-sussex-county/#comment-63956 I'll ask my doctor about that, but I wouldn't worry too much. It's not uncommon for some birders to be able to hear things others can't. Some people like Tom Preston (also on the trip) are known as spectacular ear birders, who can locate birds by sounds most others don't hear. It's also not uncommon to lose certain songs as one ages. Teenage birders often don't have the experience of older birders, but make it up with spectacular eyesight and hearing, and an almost uncanny ability to spot birds no one else would see. I suspect birders, like musicians, are just putting their hearing to more stringent tests than most of the population does. Consequently we notice aspects of aging like hearing loss sooner than most. For the same reason we also probably notice relative differences in hearing ability between similarly aged more than most do. I’ll ask my doctor about that, but I wouldn’t worry too much. It’s not uncommon for some birders to be able to hear things others can’t. Some people like Tom Preston (also on the trip) are known as spectacular ear birders, who can locate birds by sounds most others don’t hear. It’s also not uncommon to lose certain songs as one ages. Teenage birders often don’t have the experience of older birders, but make it up with spectacular eyesight and hearing, and an almost uncanny ability to spot birds no one else would see.

I suspect birders, like musicians, are just putting their hearing to more stringent tests than most of the population does. Consequently we notice aspects of aging like hearing loss sooner than most. For the same reason we also probably notice relative differences in hearing ability between similarly aged more than most do.

]]> By: John Cowan http://www.elharo.com/blog/birding/2007/04/23/spring-comes-and-goes-in-sussex-county/#comment-63860 John Cowan Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:38:44 +0000 http://www.elharo.com/blog/birding/2007/04/23/spring-comes-and-goes-in-sussex-county/#comment-63860 Strongly consider going to an audiologist. You may have impaired hearing at higher frequencies. Strongly consider going to an audiologist. You may have impaired hearing at higher frequencies.

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