I was suspicious about Merlin just because of how they started pushing it everywhere. That's usually a sign of a spam trap. That it won't let people use a web-based service without signing up is a dead giveaway. >_<
I also have another book with photos that focuses on my particular area. This information isn't as in-depth, but it's great for scanning when I have no clue what I'm looking at.
I also rely a lot on the Audubon website and Wikipedia.
While using field guides may feel more difficult than using an app, after time you tend to get really good at using the guides. I feel like when I use apps, it's more the phone doing the birding rather than me. I don't retain a lot of the knowledge with the apps. Using the books implants the information in my head better because I have to locate and identify the details of the birds.
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I have several guidebooks including the Golden Guides. They're good for a more technical search.
Actually the fastest method I use is Google images. I type in "Illinois" and then a description of the bird or other thing I'm looking for. I've managed to ID insects and flowers this way too. Once I see a picture that looks similar to what I saw, I look to see if it has a name or if that page includes a description -- usually one of the images does.
Thanks! I'm not bad with the books. I have Peterson's A Field Guide to the Birds, 2nd ed (1947) with all the helpful color plates and detailed sections by family.
I was wondering if an app could have better local suggestions because I'm out of practice. I sometimes feel betrayed when the range map shows like 60% of North America, but I need to know if it's the right season for migratory birds. Maybe I should hit up the bookstore for a Michigan/Midwest birding book for stuff like that.
>>Thanks! I'm not bad with the books. I have Peterson's A Field Guide to the Birds, 2nd ed (1947) with all the helpful color plates and detailed sections by family.<<
Peterson makes excellent guides. Serious field guides are good for scientific details that casual guides don't always have, especially things like what field marks identify a species.
>>I was wondering if an app could have better local suggestions because I'm out of practice.<<
Some do, some don't. There is a tradeoff between a wide-focus tool that shows as many different species and habitats as possible (good if you travel and/or live somewhere that often sees wayward birds) vs. a more in-depth state or regional app (good if you stay put and/or have birds with hard-to-ID variations like warblers).
>> I sometimes feel betrayed when the range map shows like 60% of North America, but I need to know if it's the right season for migratory birds. <<
For that, there are a number of online guides whose range maps are color-coded for winter, migrating, breeding, etc. ranges. Some field guides also do this, but a desktop computer screen is bigger.
Both the flyway routes and major stopping points are critical for migration success. That means anywhere along the way, providing food, water, and a safe resting place for birds can really help them survive. Here in Illinois, my yard is a stone's throw from a drainage ditch and about 15 minutes by car from a lake with a nearby wildlife sanctuary. Especially in spring, and sometimes in fall, I spot migratory birds passing through. The interesting thing is that, of the species common in this area, I never know which ones will stick around from one year to another. I always have sparrows and cardinals, but others like goldfinches and house finches vary.
>> Maybe I should hit up the bookstore for a Michigan/Midwest birding book for stuff like that.<<
Hit your local bookstore, library, any nature center or park big enough to have a gift store, and natural or science museums. If you're not sure where to find such attractions, check your nearest highway rest stop -- they usually have racks of materials for tourists, and somewhere in there should be a park guide and a museum guide. You could also try your local tourist office, but those are harder to find than rest stops. If you want something more technical as you advance in skill, also check universities because they typically have a press of their own that puts out materials by their professors. Your local nature associations are likely to have similar contacts. These places often have books by local authors which may not be available online through major publishers. But you can also just search Amazon.
Midwest materials are easy to find, as this is a major category. Great Lakes guides are fantastic for Michigan, especially if you're anywhere near the waterfront. You may need to hunt a little harder for Michigan-specific ones but they do exist. If possible, use your library and other local resources to examine several Michigan guidebooks before deciding which one(s) to buy. People have different preferences regarding which features they find most useful.
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Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-09 10:16 pm (UTC)All About Birds still has a shape guide, but now they're hyping Merlin which is for registered users only.
Jay's Bird Barn offers multiple search features and is aimed at backyard birds.
This post recommends apps:
https://birdwatchinghq.com/best-birding-apps/
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-09 10:33 pm (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-09 10:43 pm (UTC)Thanks for confirming your experience though.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-09 10:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2023-01-09 10:19 pm (UTC)I also have another book with photos that focuses on my particular area. This information isn't as in-depth, but it's great for scanning when I have no clue what I'm looking at.
I also rely a lot on the Audubon website and Wikipedia.
While using field guides may feel more difficult than using an app, after time you tend to get really good at using the guides. I feel like when I use apps, it's more the phone doing the birding rather than me. I don't retain a lot of the knowledge with the apps. Using the books implants the information in my head better because I have to locate and identify the details of the birds.
Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-09 10:24 pm (UTC)Actually the fastest method I use is Google images. I type in "Illinois" and then a description of the bird or other thing I'm looking for. I've managed to ID insects and flowers this way too. Once I see a picture that looks similar to what I saw, I look to see if it has a name or if that page includes a description -- usually one of the images does.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-01-09 10:28 pm (UTC)I was wondering if an app could have better local suggestions because I'm out of practice. I sometimes feel betrayed when the range map shows like 60% of North America, but I need to know if it's the right season for migratory birds. Maybe I should hit up the bookstore for a Michigan/Midwest birding book for stuff like that.
Yes ...
Date: 2023-01-09 11:15 pm (UTC)Peterson makes excellent guides. Serious field guides are good for scientific details that casual guides don't always have, especially things like what field marks identify a species.
>>I was wondering if an app could have better local suggestions because I'm out of practice.<<
Some do, some don't. There is a tradeoff between a wide-focus tool that shows as many different species and habitats as possible (good if you travel and/or live somewhere that often sees wayward birds) vs. a more in-depth state or regional app (good if you stay put and/or have birds with hard-to-ID variations like warblers).
>> I sometimes feel betrayed when the range map shows like 60% of North America, but I need to know if it's the right season for migratory birds. <<
For that, there are a number of online guides whose range maps are color-coded for winter, migrating, breeding, etc. ranges. Some field guides also do this, but a desktop computer screen is bigger.
https://science.ebird.org/en/status-and-trends/range-maps
https://www.songbirdgarden.com/store/info/infoview.asp?documentid=260
https://umgljv.org/planning/maps-gis/bird-ranges/
All About Birds includes a range map on the species page.
Here in North America, most migratory birds head north in spring and south in fall. Michigan, like Illinois, is on the Mississipi Flyway but also gets a bit of spillover from the Atlantic Flyway. The Great Lakes in general attract large amounts of migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. In my part of the world, I start seeing migratory birds in late February, with the heaviest traffic usually in March and April. You're farther north so it'll be later there, but you will see the fall departures arrive before I do.
Both the flyway routes and major stopping points are critical for migration success. That means anywhere along the way, providing food, water, and a safe resting place for birds can really help them survive. Here in Illinois, my yard is a stone's throw from a drainage ditch and about 15 minutes by car from a lake with a nearby wildlife sanctuary. Especially in spring, and sometimes in fall, I spot migratory birds passing through. The interesting thing is that, of the species common in this area, I never know which ones will stick around from one year to another. I always have sparrows and cardinals, but others like goldfinches and house finches vary.
>> Maybe I should hit up the bookstore for a Michigan/Midwest birding book for stuff like that.<<
Hit your local bookstore, library, any nature center or park big enough to have a gift store, and natural or science museums. If you're not sure where to find such attractions, check your nearest highway rest stop -- they usually have racks of materials for tourists, and somewhere in there should be a park guide and a museum guide. You could also try your local tourist office, but those are harder to find than rest stops. If you want something more technical as you advance in skill, also check universities because they typically have a press of their own that puts out materials by their professors. Your local nature associations are likely to have similar contacts. These places often have books by local authors which may not be available online through major publishers. But you can also just search Amazon.
Midwest materials are easy to find, as this is a major category. Great Lakes guides are fantastic for Michigan, especially if you're anywhere near the waterfront. You may need to hunt a little harder for Michigan-specific ones but they do exist. If possible, use your library and other local resources to examine several Michigan guidebooks before deciding which one(s) to buy. People have different preferences regarding which features they find most useful.
https://www.amazon.com/Birds-Michigan-Field-Identification-Guides/dp/1591939003
https://www.target.com/p/american-birding-association-field-guide-to-birds-of-michigan-american-birding-association-state-field-by-allen-t-chartier-paperback/-/A-86207152
https://lonepinebooks.com/product/birds-of-michigan-2/
https://www.acornnaturalists.com/michigan-birds-pocket-naturalistr-guide.html
Online:
https://thebirdguide.com/birds-of-michigan/
https://www.birdadvisors.com/backyard-birds-michigan/
https://birdfeederhub.com/backyard-birds-in-michigan/