I’m not a bird watcher but I’ve become a bird listener ever since downloading a bionic ear app to my phone. It lets me enter a different world, one where I’m surrounded not just by chirping but by Black Phoebes, White-breasted nuthatches, Northern flickers and Dark-eyed juncos.

It’s magical.

I’ll admit, I’m horrible at identifying, or really even spotting, birds. Friends eagerly point at a tree saying “Look, a Pileated woodpecker!” and all I see is a blur. Or “A California Towhee!” and all I see are a bunch of branches. They pass me binoculars and I get nauseous from the movement.