The mystery has been solved!!!
The Backstory
In July 2014, my Dad took me, my husband, our three boys, and my brother on a houseboat vacation on Rainy Lake in Northern Minnesota, along the Canada border. It was a trip of a lifetime!
My Dad and I – both avid bird watchers – really enjoyed seeing the various birds in that area. We even discovered a new (to us) bird. We could hear the bird’s song, but we never actually saw the bird making the sound. It was a song we hadn’t heard before, and it was everywhere! It was a very memorable song. To me, it sounded like:
Daa, daaa, da … da-dit, da-dit, da-dit, da-dit
We had very spotty cell coverage that far out in the wilderness, so we weren’t able to look up the bird by it’s song. The bird’s identity remained a mystery.
For years after that trip, Dad and I continued to try to figure out what bird it was. Sadly, by the time my Dad passed away, we still hadn’t solved the mystery of the bird’s identification.
Mystery Solved!
This week, an article by National Geographic caught my eye – “Sparrows are singing a new song, in a rapid, unprecedented shift“. Of course I was intrigued!
The article is about the White Throated Sparrow in Canada, and how they have abandoned their old song and are now singing a new tune. This new tune (which started in 2014 – according to the article), is THE tune Dad and I heard! Our mystery bird is the White Throated Sparrow!
I am THRILLED to have finally been able to identify our mystery bird, and I think it’s so interesting to hear the story of how this bird has changed it’s tune – and that the reason for this change is itself a mystery. I also think it’s rather interesting that this article was published this month – in July – the same month Dad and I first heard this bird (his birthday month). Coincidence?
I wish I could share this information with my Dad, I know he would be as thrilled as I am.
I’ve never seen a White Throated Sparrow in the area of Minnesota where I live, nor have I heard this bird around here. But you can be sure – if I ever DO see or hear this bird around home, I’ll be thinking of my Dad.
Here’s the White Throated Sparrow, singing it’s song… this one’s for you, Dad.
Have you ever spotted this bird in the wild? Share your story – I’d love to hear it!
Love the birds song!❤️ And the story behind it. As I was playing your video, my hubby said “wow, listen to that bird”. Beautiful sound.
Thanks for your note, Mimi. Isn’t it cool how a bird’s song can be literal music to our ears?! You gotta love nature!