Here are some helpful things to have on hand if you want to
start bird-watching in your back yard.
A notebook: It's hard to remember what you've seen, so jot down
what the bird looks like and what it sounds like. After a while
you'll remember the bird and the song.
Binoculars: Optional, but even an inexpensive pair will help you
spot birds in nearby trees.
Song book: Try "The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Eastern and Central
North America," by Donald Kroodsma. With pictures of 75 common
birds and a player to hear their songs, plus great descriptions and
information.
Field guide: LocalBirds.com
has small laminated foldout guides that are great for quick
reference. Not all areas are represented, but there are several
guides for Florida, Texas and California (see list on the Web
site).
The Internet: All About Birds is a great Web site to find
pictures and videos of birds and to hear their songs. Produced by
the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it's at www.allaboutbirds.org.
The Count: The Great Backyard Bird Count (or GBBC) is an event
that takes place over four days in February each year. To
participate, you watch birds in your yard, a nearby park, then
report what you saw by entering your bird list online at www.birdsource.org. If you click on
the site's GBBC icon, you'll find a special section for kids with
games and bird songs.
