Actually Shawn I have good reference books- Sibleys, Peterson and a couple specific to Alberta/North America. I was interested in the song recognition app that was mentioned. My trees are now big enough that different species are moving in and hanging in the canopies and are difficult to see..
Mike
My new goal in life is to become an Alter Kaker...
Yes, the ones we adopt into Pittsburgh tend to turn out just fine.
That show is killing me. Bubbles is hilarious.
Do you have any birding books yet? That is a good first step. Here is rule #1 for books: Guidebooks with photos r the suck! Yes, the pictures are pretty but they are taken of a bird in a particular plumage during a particular time of year and with a certain angle of light hitting them. On the other hand, guidebooks with representative paintings/drawings show the bird in ideal light with all of its standard markings and other myriad field marks. From there you can extrapolate things such as a bird that has a somewhat worn breeding plumage, etc.
So, I would recommend The Sibley Guide to Birds of Western North America and/or The National Geographic Guide To The Birds of Western North America.
As far as phone apps, I wouldn't worry about that too much but if you want, pick any one or several of the free versions.
The great thing about the books is they are set in the correct taxonomic order and that will help you not only locate the birds in the book but also to learn the similarities of the "groups." So, when you run across a bird that you have not seen before or one that doesn't look familiar you will start to say, "Hey, that looks like a sparrow." That is a solid basis to start being able to identify birds that would otherwise drive you crazy.
I have two sets of CD's. Yeah, old technology but I haven't been able to find anything better as far a learning songs/calls. I've had them for a while so perhaps they are available in digital format to download.
Here is the Holy Grail of learning bird songs:
Unfortunately, I resisted this advice for some time and would listen to this set:
Its a great and comprehensive collection but that is all it is. The former set is designed to teach you the songs/calls as the narrator goes through similar sounding species. There are about 90 different species on the three CD's and then a test of sorts at the end. I don't use the test because then I would end up remembering the answers and not really learning the bird songs. True story: I listened to the CD's several times through one winter and really thought the information was all just jumbled in my head. And then I went birding and it started to click! So, keep at it and you will soon be able to recognize a few birds and then you will build on that.
There isn't any recognition software. You have to put in some time to learn the various songs/calls.
The upper canopy birds can be difficult (as you know) so when you listen to the CD's pay particular attention to those species, such as kinglets, warblers and vireos.
A good birding app with songs/calls is iBird. I have the pro edition and I think I got it on sale for about $15, so approximately 3 Billion Canadian Pesos.
I know nothing about birds (have a bit of a phobia actually- creepy little bastards), but I just want to point out that Canada won the World Cup of Hockey last night. Crosby was MVP and apparently is the first person in history to be a defending Stanley Cup, Olympic and World Cup champ at the same time.
Also- Canada's national men's team hasn't lost a game in 2,400 days. ****!
I priced out those CD's on Amazon. I could buy the complete Bon Jovi collection for that!!
Mike
Hmmm, that expensive? Well, like I said I kind of resisted buying the Birding by Ear set for a while and paid for it by being overwhelmed with the other set I pictured above.
Go Canada!!!! I was actually rooting for them, as I have in all international tournaments since Mario's day ('87 Canada Cup). I was happy to see them win gold. Well, except for Marchand. That SOB can die in fire.
Marchand is one of those players you just hate- until he plays for your team. Lucic is the same type.. Team USA is in transition and rebuilding stage and some of the young ones are looking very good. It takes time.
I'll go to my neighbourhood birding store and see what they have, but I might go the El Cheapo route and get the less expensive one. It's funny the Eastern edition is about 1/3 of the price of the Western one- **** New Englanders..
Mike
My new goal in life is to become an Alter Kaker...
I have a big guide book of Eastern US birds... Thought it was Audubon. Have to check. For a while I got into them and started keeping a log with dates and bookmarking the pages.
I have a big guide book of Eastern US birds... Thought it was Audubon. Have to check. For a while I got into them and started keeping a log with dates and bookmarking the pages.
Then I stopped being gay.
You never stop being gay-- not that there's anything wrong with that..
Mike
My new goal in life is to become an Alter Kaker...
I have a big guide book of Eastern US birds... Thought it was Audubon. Have to check. For a while I got into them and started keeping a log with dates and bookmarking the pages.
Replies
Use to watch the Trailer Park Boys all the time.
Mike
PS:
Nice avatar of a good CANADIAN boy..
Mike
That show is killing me. Bubbles is hilarious.
Do you have any birding books yet? That is a good first step. Here is rule #1 for books: Guidebooks with photos r the suck! Yes, the pictures are pretty but they are taken of a bird in a particular plumage during a particular time of year and with a certain angle of light hitting them. On the other hand, guidebooks with representative paintings/drawings show the bird in ideal light with all of its standard markings and other myriad field marks. From there you can extrapolate things such as a bird that has a somewhat worn breeding plumage, etc.
So, I would recommend The Sibley Guide to Birds of Western North America and/or The National Geographic Guide To The Birds of Western North America.
As far as phone apps, I wouldn't worry about that too much but if you want, pick any one or several of the free versions.
The great thing about the books is they are set in the correct taxonomic order and that will help you not only locate the birds in the book but also to learn the similarities of the "groups." So, when you run across a bird that you have not seen before or one that doesn't look familiar you will start to say, "Hey, that looks like a sparrow." That is a solid basis to start being able to identify birds that would otherwise drive you crazy.
Do you have binoculars?
I have two sets of CD's. Yeah, old technology but I haven't been able to find anything better as far a learning songs/calls. I've had them for a while so perhaps they are available in digital format to download.
Here is the Holy Grail of learning bird songs:
Unfortunately, I resisted this advice for some time and would listen to this set:
Its a great and comprehensive collection but that is all it is. The former set is designed to teach you the songs/calls as the narrator goes through similar sounding species. There are about 90 different species on the three CD's and then a test of sorts at the end. I don't use the test because then I would end up remembering the answers and not really learning the bird songs. True story: I listened to the CD's several times through one winter and really thought the information was all just jumbled in my head. And then I went birding and it started to click! So, keep at it and you will soon be able to recognize a few birds and then you will build on that.
There isn't any recognition software. You have to put in some time to learn the various songs/calls.
The upper canopy birds can be difficult (as you know) so when you listen to the CD's pay particular attention to those species, such as kinglets, warblers and vireos.
A good birding app with songs/calls is iBird. I have the pro edition and I think I got it on sale for about $15, so approximately 3 Billion Canadian Pesos.
Also- Canada's national men's team hasn't lost a game in 2,400 days. ****!
The neat thing about the Trailer Park Boys is we all knew someone who was like one of characters= hopefully it wasn't us..
I'll hit the local birding store to find those CD's, they seem to have everything.
Mike
Mike
[goat sounding like a human]
Yeeeaaaaah.
[/goat]
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Hmmm, that expensive? Well, like I said I kind of resisted buying the Birding by Ear set for a while and paid for it by being overwhelmed with the other set I pictured above.
Go Canada!!!! I was actually rooting for them, as I have in all international tournaments since Mario's day ('87 Canada Cup). I was happy to see them win gold. Well, except for Marchand. That SOB can die in fire.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'll go to my neighbourhood birding store and see what they have, but I might go the El Cheapo route and get the less expensive one. It's funny the Eastern edition is about 1/3 of the price of the Western one- **** New Englanders..
Mike
Then I stopped being gay.
You never stop being gay-- not that there's anything wrong with that..
Mike
Smithsonian. I was way off.
You are dead to me.
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