Beginning Birding
This page provides some helpful links for beginning birders. The best way to start birding is to join the club and attend some field trips, you will discover places locally that are good for seeing birds and will have the expertise of the trip leader to help find and identify birds.
Some links for beginners
Help with the terminology birders use
Cornell’s guide to fieldmarks
A great document describing feather names (look at the picture for general topography). Birders refer to these names regularly and it helps to know what they mean.
Some help with the tricky subject of Gulls
Introduction to identifying local gulls.
Some photo comparisons of gulls.
Flowcharts to help with gull ID.
Part 1. Adult Gulls
Part 2. All brown or mottled brown gulls
Part 3. Gulls with gray backs and brown wings
Part 4. Like an adult gull but…
Flowcharts copyright 1980 by Joseph Morlan. Reprinted by permission. Developed for birding classes at San Francisco City College.