Then we could both note that it has no black cap, no grayish head, no eye ring, no eye stripe and no wing bars. Occasionally I'm lucky enough to see it in the cottonwood tree, confirm my expectations and identify it as a Yellow Warbler. Bird songs can be an excellent means of identifying an elusive species. My problem is that my old ears have lost their ability to pick up low volume and high frequency sounds. However, even a non-hearing experience provides hints to bird identification.
Songs are often a powerful clue as to the group of species the observation belongs to.
In this scenario she describes the song as a wheeze and a series of insect-like buzzes. I immediately start looking for a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher as her song description eliminated many warblers and sparrows. We then both spot a small nervous gray bird with a long black tail and an eye-ring. I'm often asked how to identify a bird after only seeing the south end view of a north flying bird or some quick movement in thick vegetation. The best thing to do is just enjoy the birding experience.