Dear Maggie, and others: Those of us who payed close attention during our formal education are tempted to think classes are always the best way to learn complex things. I now think butts-in-the-chairs classes about bird ID are pretty much useless for beginners, and that's why it's hard to find one. It's not hard for a motivated person to find books and internet resources for the kind of knowledge you get there. It's the field trips you need. There is no faster way to learn than to work with your local birds alongside someone who knows things you want to learn. When you see a thrasher in Columbus, you may need to know why it isn't a wood thrush, not whether it might be a long-billed thrasher. At some point you need someone who can show you how a crow flies differently than a vulture or a hawk, or give you a cute mnemonic to remember a bird song, or what to expect in a certain habitat. There are lots of people who know these things, and are eager--not just grudgingly willing, or for pay--to share their knowledge. As someone pointed out to me me the other day, birders are outdoors people who want to share things; hunters and trappers and fishers, by contrast, want to keep secrets. Because birders don't need to possess things, the joy of sharing comes naturally. And if you want to learn about birds in a lonely way, you have a long and rocky row to hoe, but it's been done. So for Maggie and others, your question should be "How do I get in touch with local birders?" There are many organizations that schedule outings led by knowledgeable people. Audubon societies and local bird clubs are a good choice. Your local parks system has many bird walks, etc. Go along on a few of these, ask questions, and you will learn about more outings, and probably meet people from your neighborhood who will invite you along on theirs. And if you see someone else birding when you go out, strike up a conversation, share information, or just ask questions. It's a rare birder who won't be delighted to help, and you are likely to learn a lot more spending time with birds and birders than in classes or in the library or online. Bill Whan Columbus M Scott wrote: > Help with ID (of course) When I looked at a picture of a black throated > green warbler, my unidentified bird looked just the opposite of this! black > and white head shoulders and back, with yellow breast. At first I thought > it might be a goldfinch, but it wasn't. Flying in the trees across the > creek. I know I should have more specifics. > > In the same area I also saw a white throated sparrow foraging in the leaves > and a Carolina wren perched in the tangles of brush > > I would love a class on bird id, especially for sparrows, warblers, hawks. > Does any group offer a class? > Thanks, > Maggie > in Columbus ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]