A retired mailman on my street taught me how to spot a wren without binoculars

Beth Clark · 2026-10-09T06:10:02.982682+00:00

I ran into Harold two springs ago while he was walking his beagle past my fence, and he noticed me squinting at the bushes with my new binoculars. He said I was looking too high and pointed down at the leaf litter about 3 feet off the ground, and sure enough there was a Carolina wren poking around. He told me he delivered mail on our street for 22 years and learned every bird by sound before he ever saw one. Now I catch myself standing still on the porch in the morning just listening, and I pick out wrens, cardinals, and chickadees before I spot a single one. Anyone else here learn more from a neighbor than from any field guide?

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A retired mailman on my street taught me how to spot a wren without binoculars | Backyard Birdwatching - Babble Community