California field guide (1 Viewer)

stevieb · Jul 26, 2010

Hi,

I am planning a driving holiday down the Pacific coast road from San Francisco down to San Diego, stopping over in various places en route including a detour to Yosemite.

What is the best field guide to take? Is it the Sibley Birds of Western North America or is it best to get specific guides for both North and South California?

Any advice greatly received. :t:

JeffMoh · Jul 26, 2010

stevieb said:
Hi,

I am planning a driving holiday down the Pacific coast road from San Francisco down to San Diego, stopping over in various places en route including a detour to Yosemite.

What is the best field guide to take? Is it the Sibley Birds of Western North America or is it best to get specific guides for both North and South California?

Any advice greatly received. :t:

I think you'll be fine with Sibley.

BTW, when in the SF Bay Area, don't miss Arrowhead Marsh, which is right next to Oakland airport. Not the best time to visit it but there's always something interesting there.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

stevieb · Jul 26, 2010

Thanks for the prompt reply Jeff. Sibley it is then.
BTW cracking photo's on your blog.:t:

Jim M. · Jul 26, 2010

stevieb said:
Hi,

I am planning a driving holiday down the Pacific coast road from San Francisco down to San Diego, stopping over in various places en route including a detour to Yosemite.

What is the best field guide to take? Is it the Sibley Birds of Western North America or is it best to get specific guides for both North and South California?

Any advice greatly received. :t:

Specific ID guides for states are all inferior, at least in my experience, to guides to the west, east, or North America as a whole. If you want maximum info, you could have big Sibley to keep in car, and the more compact Western Sibley for the field. But the Western Sibley alone will be sufficient for most ID challenges you will encounter, and has a better layout if you're not that familiar with the birds (more textual explanation).

I assume, by the way, that you are talking about ID guides. For birdfinding you would want specific California guides. Sibley contains no birdfinding info (other than range maps).

Best,
Jim

DavidP · Jul 26, 2010

I would definitely go for the Western Sibley, lovely little guide and designed to be portable.
Joe Morlans site is a good general guide for California
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/county.htm
Just click on each county map for specific details per county.

There's also some birding trails been set up
http://ca-ccbt.info/SLO.htm for the central coast trail.

Also when in SoCal, the Brad Schram site guide would be good and has sites for up the coast a bit as well
http://www.amazon.com/Birders-Guide-Southern-California-Birdfinding/dp/1878788175

stevieb · Jul 27, 2010

Thanks for all of the above guys, much appreciated :t:

albatross02 · Jul 27, 2010

stevieb said:
Hi,

I am planning a driving holiday down the Pacific coast road from San Francisco down to San Diego, stopping over in various places en route including a detour to Yosemite.

What is the best field guide to take? Is it the Sibley Birds of Western North America or is it best to get specific guides for both North and South California?

Any advice greatly received. :t:

Hello,

I used Sibleys Guide to.
Yosemite is great, but for accomodation ( also camping ) You have to reserve long time before.
Do not miss Sequioa national park and Kings Canyon ( depest canyon of US ).
Mono lake is also very interesting for birding.

Best regards
Dieter

California field guide (1 Viewer)

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