The ideal field guide is one that is perfectly focused on your needs, with species selected exactly for the area where you spend your time and a helpful text that accurately describes those birds’ local range, seasonality, and habitat preferences. If you are in Novato, Marin, or really anywhere in the Bay Area, these are the best available bird guides, ranked from simplest to most comprehensive.
tools of the trade
How to Use Binoculars
The single greatest tool I know of to enhance nature perception is a pair of binoculars. Today I want to get more of our community’s extant binoculars into active use by explaining how to use these things properly, how to avoid common errors and frustrations, and how to tell if a pair of binoculars needs repair or replacement.