What is that? Tools for Identifying Birds, Critters and Nature

[THXGEEK]

A recent post got me thinking. What tools are available to help identify the various elements of nature that we enjoy photographing?

For me, I have (3) must-haves:

1) Roger Tory Peterson's Field Guides. I was lucky enough to snag the Easton Press edition set off of eBay a few years back. Although focused on the Americas, they are very comprehensive for all manner of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, etc... They make a great reference, equally suited for rainy-day reading or tossing a specific volume into the backpack for a hike.

2) Cornell Lab's Merlin app for your mobile phone. This is insanely useful! This app allows you to instantly identify the source of all the birdsongs around you. Since we are never without our mobile phone - especially on photo hikes, I'll hit the trail for a bit and pause for a second (or three - yes, I am OFOOS: Old Fat Out-Of-Shape) and will fire up Merlin to 'hear' who's around me. If there's anything interesting, I'll set up for a bit and try to see and get a shot of the source. If not, I'll move further down the trail. Merlin also offers a visual identifier. If you can snap a pic of bird with your mobile, Merlin will do its best to identify it. What a wonderful application of technology!

3) Google. Or DuckDuckGo if you don't want to be tracked by The Man.

What other resources do you use?

 

[iamdlewis]

From your must have lists I would remove web image searches as they lack details of where and when the image was taken, which can be key details in identifying the bird. I would add iNaturalist.

Steps I use in identifying birds:
1. Merlin photo or step-by-step - Just be aware that it isn't always correct but it should get you in the neighborhood.
2. Field guides - There are a couple things with these, 1) you should have something more recent and 2) Just because a publisher has a good field guide for location ABC doesn't mean they have a good one for location MNO, so read reviews of them before you get them. The big guides book companies are Sibley, Peterson, Helm, Princeton Press, Lynx and National Geographic.
3. Ask local birding club in person or on facebook - provide details such as location, date, and how it was acting.
4. Post on iNaturalist identify page - again provide details, the more the better.
5. Ask local natural history museum - many have lots of details about birds in the area as they are a leading indicator as to the health of the area.

Another note about Merlin. They have improved the sound ID though it is still having some big issues. This last weekend I was looking to ID a call I was hearing and it ID'd several Wood Ducks calling as a Harlequin Duck and it missed the American Robin. Others in my local birding club are still annoyed with it either missing or clearly getting some very wrong.