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Eye on the
Silver Lining
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by justjoe:
quote:
Sibleys is too intense for me when I’m trying to figure out wtf it is before it flies off,


I recommend your wife get a camera with a zoom lens and take photos of the birds she wants to identify. Then, whatever guide she gets, use the photos to identify in the guide. I have never been able to use the guide to identify the bird while it was at the feeder. I'm turning pages and the bird snatches a sunflower seed and flies away.



If you’re talking to me, I’m the wife Wink.
While my husband doesn’t give a hoot about birds, my dad is an amazing resource..if I can’t sort it out, I just call him up, describe what I’ve seen and an idea of the song, he typically nails it. We just confirmed a red bellied last week that way, lol. He’s taught me almost everything I know about native birds here. I’m not serious enough to get a zoom beyond the one on my iPhone, hence the use of the Golden field guide vs Sibleys on the run.

If you’re talking to Para, pardon my response, that’s a great idea that she may really enjoy!


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"Trust, but verify."
 
Posts: 5284 | Registered: October 24, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nosce te ipsum
Picture of Woodman
posted Hide Post
A local non-profit arboretum will have a great selection in their gift shop.
 
Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Bad dog!
Picture of justjoe
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by irreverent:
quote:
Originally posted by justjoe:
quote:
Sibleys is too intense for me when I’m trying to figure out wtf it is before it flies off,


I recommend your wife get a camera with a zoom lens and take photos of the birds she wants to identify. Then, whatever guide she gets, use the photos to identify in the guide. I have never been able to use the guide to identify the bird while it was at the feeder. I'm turning pages and the bird snatches a sunflower seed and flies away.



If you’re talking to me, I’m the wife Wink.
While my husband doesn’t give a hoot about birds, my dad is an amazing resource..if I can’t sort it out, I just call him up, describe what I’ve seen and an idea of the song, he typically nails it. We just confirmed a red bellied last week that way, lol. He’s taught me almost everything I know about native birds here. I’m not serious enough to get a zoom beyond the one on my iPhone, hence the use of the Golden field guide vs Sibleys on the run.

If you’re talking to Para, pardon my response, that’s a great idea that she may really enjoy!


I learn something every day on this forum. Wink


______________________________________________________

"You get much farther with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone."
 
Posts: 11106 | Location: pennsylvania | Registered: June 05, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
the big thick ones are handy and offer a lot,

but consider one specifically for your area as well,

https://www.google.com/search?...j0i22i30.ENwuByylMVo

i have five bird books , but ive been doing it for 35 years





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 54500 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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mustang pappa ,
who makes those things?





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 54500 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nosce te ipsum
Picture of Woodman
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by bendable:
the big thick ones are handy and offer a lot,

but consider one specifically for your area as well,


Yes, sorry I discluded that in my post. A local arboretum should have books on birds native to the area. I've selected both books and folding laminated resources from area gardens. Higher quality specialized materials with low published numbers might seem costly, like $8 for a placemat-sized laminated colored 4-fold on birds, but it is targeted to your area and will last forever.
 
Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Firearms Enthusiast
Picture of Mustang-PaPa
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by bendable:
mustang pappa ,
who makes those things?

Quick Referencing Publishing, Inc @
Www.quickreferencepublishing.com

They were at the check out lines at our local HEB grocery store.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mustang-PaPa,
 
Posts: 18016 | Location: South West of Fort Worth, Tx. | Registered: December 26, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
thanks





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 54500 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Firearms Enthusiast
Picture of Mustang-PaPa
posted Hide Post
Bend they were $7.95ea plus tax in the store.
My wife and i have sure used them alot.
We both keep them under our bird watching binos.
While they dont show both male and female birds they get us close and we google for more pics and details as needed.

Thinking i might order the National Audubon Society field guide book though.
 
Posts: 18016 | Location: South West of Fort Worth, Tx. | Registered: December 26, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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another good reason to have numerous books is that
one book may have great pictures , but not of both the males and females,

another book will have great info but iffy pics,

some books include bird songs others do not

some books will offer the birds diets other books may offer nesting or flight patterns.

there are a few places on the internet that will let you hear bird songs , that helps with identification





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 54500 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
another good reason to have numerous books is that
one book may have great pictures , but not of both the males and females,

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Kind of like Playboy. Interesting.
 
Posts: 17175 | Location: Stuck at home | Registered: January 02, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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if you do not already have one, I recommend a bird bath


the only thing better for attracting birds is a bird bath with a fountain in it .

yes you have to get a stiff bristle brush and clean them every ten days or so,

but watching the birds splash around is great fun





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 54500 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raised Hands Surround Us
Three Nails To Protect Us
Picture of Black92LX
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My Audubon Field Guide arrived yesterday. As I was thumbing through it I was instantly taken back to my Grandmothers living room many years ago.
I need to get some feeders.


————————————————
The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
 
Posts: 25354 | Registered: September 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
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I just found this extensive review of 5 “best” birding apps. Well worth looking through; it’s clear some serious birders now just take an iPhone or iPad or equivalent instead of a couple of books into the field.

Link: Best birding apps


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“ What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.”— Lord Melbourne
 
Posts: 18016 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
member
Picture of henryaz
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Sibley's guides here. I have both the North American one and the Western States one.



When in doubt, mumble
 
Posts: 10778 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Conveniently located directly
above the center of the Earth
Picture of signewt
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a friend showed me her phone app of 'bird calls' in which she could check the image of the bird she wanted & the app would play the live bird call.

Sorry to have lost the link, probably easily located with search.


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Posts: 9849 | Location: sunny Orygun | Registered: September 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Donate Blood,
Save a Life!
Picture of StarTraveler
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My wife has two or three bird books but uses Audubon guide to eastern birds most frequently. She tabs the entries for birds she's seen in our area with little post-it notes. The woods behind our house overhang our deck and there's a little lake that starts a few houses down the street from us so she has a lot of tabs.

We've purchased several other Audubon guides over the years: trees, mushrooms, reptiles and amphibians, and one or two more I can't recall at the moment. They're small enough that they're easy to carry in a bag on a hike, and have a semi-hard cover that protects better than paper but isn't as thick and heavy as a regular hardcover.


***

"Aut viam inveniam aut faciam (I will either find a way or make one)." -- Hannibal Barca
 
Posts: 2094 | Location: Georgia | Registered: July 19, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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