Birding by Smell?
Many of my friends have taken birding to a new level. Rather than using binoculars and making visual observations, they identify birds by song alone. This is convenient and can be done any time without taking time away from whatever task might put you outdoors in the first place. And, of course, some birds are just plain hard to see.
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Hal has taken this concept to the next logical step, and has begun to pioneer birding by smell. This came about on one of many canoe trips, when he kept hearing the distinctive call of the Ruby Throated Sphincter, but could never find the source of the sounds. He had a revelation one day in camp, when, following a series of various braaps and hoots from various directions, he noticed a quite powerful and pervasive aroma. Further studies showed that indeed, the calls were often, if not always, accompanied the smell.
The concept is new, and Hal has yet to make a visual ID of a Ruby Throated Sphincter, either while calling, emitting, or just plain hanging out. Perhaps one day soon you'll be able to read about it in one of the more popular birding digests.
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