Subject: field guides for beginners?
Date: Apr 18 08:51:14 2002
From: Jim McCoy - jfmccoy at earthlink.net



I'm occasionally in the position of offering advice to a fledgling birder,
but I never
really know what to suggest for a field guide. Since I started as a kid
with the
Zim Junior Golden Guide, and only gradually worked my way through just about
every field guide available, I don't know what to advise an adult starting
out.

Are NGS and Sibley's overkill for a beginner? Or does the depiction of
several plumages clarify more than it confuses?

I'm quite biased toward comprehensive guides, but does anyone find that
regional
guides really do simplify things for beginners? If so, is there a
particular one you'd
recommend?

Is there any consensus? Are there any relative newbies out there who've had
better success with one than another? Any vets who've asked and been
answered?

Thanks,
JMc

Jim McCoy
jfmccoy at earthlink.net
Redmond, WA