RESOURCES FOR NEW BIRDERS
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Where to Bird:
       In Cuyahoga County
       Favorite Places to Bird in Northern Ohio 
       Birding in Ohio
       Birdcam - live video from more than a dozen bird feeding stations and nests around the world

What to Wear & What to Bring with you when Birding:

• Binoculars!
• Wear Layers - it can be cold & rainy early on Spring mornings, but 75 or higher later in the morning
• Wear comfortable shoes or boots that can get muddy or wet
  
• Dress more warmly than you think you'll need to dress - birdwatching involves a lot of slow walking and stationary activity

• Sunscreen, water, snacks (optional), gloves, raincoat or umbrella, waist pack or back pack for carrying a few items, insect repellant (only needed occasionally), extra pair of socks or shoes (optional)
• Cell phone - to use with Merlin app
• Field guide - field guide books with pictures can be helpful for beginning birders
• Small notebook if you want to keep a list what you see - checklists are provided on some field trips and are available at some parks and nature centers
• Camera (not recommended) - better to see the birds than try to photograph them - it's harder than it looks and takes away from time that is better spent seeing more birds!

About Binoculars:
       Audubon Society's Binocular Guide
       2020 Review of Binoculars
       Time & Optics - a well-stocked shop for binoculars & spotting scopes - in Millersburg, Ohio
          
WEBSITES & LINKS FOR NEW BIRDERS:

22 Tips for Aspiring Black Birders - from Earth In Color

All About Birds - Online Guide to Birds and Birdwatching - from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Bird Academy - from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Birding by Ear - from Audubon Great Lakes

Larkwire - an app for learning bird songs! 

Kirtland Bird Club Bird Identification Videos - series of six 90 minute videos by experienced birders that guides you through all aspects of identifying birds

​“7 Tips for Watching Birds During The Spring Lockdown – Here are some principles you can apply to any form of nature study”, by David Sibley:

Audubon Great Lakes Region - includes activities for kids

Christian Cooper and Amy Tan Discuss How Birding Brings Them Joy - Video from NY Times series Go Birding with The Times - focus is on becoming a birder


BEST FIELD GUIDES FOR BEGINNERS:

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern & Central North America, Seventh Edition

Sibley Birds East - The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America

Free Field Guides for Common Birds, Raptors, and Owls from Ohio Department of Natural Resources


​BEST PHONE APPS:

Sibley Birds v2 app (for bird ID) - $20 in the app store

Peterson Birds of North America app (for bird ID)

iBird app (for bird ID) - $4.99

Merlin app (for bird ID - including bird songs, chips, and calls) - Free

eBird app - more advanced, includes checklist uploads, info on bird trends, citizen science etc. - Free
       
AUDIO RECORDINGS FOR NEW BIRDERS:
       Backyard Birding 101

LEARNING BIRD SONG:
       Minnesota Bird Songs - with images - we get almost all of these birds in Northeast Ohio
​       Birding by Ear - from Audubon
       Birding by Ear - Peterson audio guide - step by step, adding new birds as you go

​NEW BIRDER VIDEOS FOR KIDS:
         
Monica Marshall's Boys & Girls Club's Cyber Club videos: 
         Go Wild Adventure Club: July 13, 2020:  "Get ready for your adventure"       
         Go Wild Adventure Club: May 18, 2020: "What will we see?"