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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cillana" data-source="post: 1640009" data-attributes="member: 15661">Reading your field guides ahead of time is very helpful. Get to know the birds before you see them. It helps you to know what key features and behaviors to look for.I prefer binocs over photos when seeing a bird I don't recognize. You never know how long it will stick around. It takes me longer to get my camera on and focused on the bird than to pick up my binocs and find it. Usually for those small songbirds, the bird it gone before my camera is ready. If after I've gotten a satisfactory look at the bird with my binocs, it's still there I'll go for the camera. I usually only use photos for IDing for shorebirds. They usually stay in one spot for a while and give you enough time to get a good look through the binocs and take lots of photos too.</blockquote>