greetings... a couple of questions

[hulk]

I'm guessing this has already been covered before but I'm just starting to take it a little more interest in it, so I'm looking to gather a little advice on the subject, I live next to a run off pond which is surprisinly pretty clean It has minnows and frogs in it, anyways what I'm looking for is a good book for bird identification, something with pictures, like something that would cover most birds as the pond really attachs a lot of different birds and critters, last month I stepped out in to the garage and there flew out about 30 sparrows, apparently there was a hawk in the neighbors tree, was'nt a redtail, it was about 17-20 inches tall mostly black/dark, a friend told me that it probably was a coopers hawk, I don't know, last question is, binoculars or a spotting scope? I'm thinking I'd still like to be a little mobile rather than sitting and setting up a scope so I'm looking at a mid range $150 - $200 pair of 10x50 any suggestions or personal preferences?

thanks J

[Jim Almquist]

One of the better books would be The Sibley Field Guide To Birds of Eastern North America. If you have a smartphone they make a app as well. Not sure about the next question but most of the birders will have both or a camera with a long lens. With a picture you can double check the markings so you can positively ID the bird at home on your computer.

[finnbay]

Quote:

The Sibley Field Guide To Birds of Eastern North America

+1

[Dbl]

I also use the Audubon (on my Android phone) smart phone app and IBird Pro(Ipod touch) both of them are very nice to use. I do like having the sounds of the bird calls that a paper guide will not have. I have had the Audubon Field Guide to North America for about 25 years and it has proved reliable as well. Sibley does seem to be the guide of choice for most of our users here.

[eyeguy 54]

I have one I still use from 1980. Peterson

Field Guide to the birds. Eastern and Central US.