Fuzzy Birder
Fuzzy Birder
My wife and I have been birding for just on 20 years. We enjoy the outdoors, and attended Ulrich Uberprieler's course at the Pta zoo way back then to get to grips with ID issues. We never really kept a list - just appreciated what we saw and skipped the LBJs and tricky raptors.
The boys are grown up (21 + 18) and we have started birding in earnest since mid last year. Total is at 274 with a target of 400 by year end.
Last year we found our books to be out of date - so we bought:
Roberts field guide
Sasol 4
Faansie's LBJ book
Uberprielers Raptors of SA
We seem to be getting along with these books, but also have to google a lot (recently got a canon powershot sx50 - amazing zoom and stabilisation for such a small camera. Essential for us to get pics for later id). Hower we still struggle with juvs, some raptors/female species etc.
What would you consider essential books for SA bird Id, given that you can pack the back seat full of books but only take 1 or 2 into the field?
Is it worth while investing in any of the software packages - or are these just online versions of the guides?
I appreciate that the answers depend on personnal preferences to some extent.
We have also learnt that by struggling through difficult id issues, id becomes a little easier (at least you think you know what the next species is not).
FB
The boys are grown up (21 + 18) and we have started birding in earnest since mid last year. Total is at 274 with a target of 400 by year end.
Last year we found our books to be out of date - so we bought:
Roberts field guide
Sasol 4
Faansie's LBJ book
Uberprielers Raptors of SA
We seem to be getting along with these books, but also have to google a lot (recently got a canon powershot sx50 - amazing zoom and stabilisation for such a small camera. Essential for us to get pics for later id). Hower we still struggle with juvs, some raptors/female species etc.
What would you consider essential books for SA bird Id, given that you can pack the back seat full of books but only take 1 or 2 into the field?
Is it worth while investing in any of the software packages - or are these just online versions of the guides?
I appreciate that the answers depend on personnal preferences to some extent.
We have also learnt that by struggling through difficult id issues, id becomes a little easier (at least you think you know what the next species is not).
FB
