Review of Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America
November 11, 2008
Article in: Book Reviews
Jam-packed with 2,000 color photographs, the Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America
While it may be true that you can never have too many field guides, each new one that comes out is an attempt to be a better birder-serving guide to the wonderful creatures we know of as birds. The Smithsonian covers all the bases of a field guide and probably won’t replace the “big three” – Sibley, Kaufman, and Peterson.
However, the Smithsonian may fill a gap between young birders under 13 (who are drawn to the Young Birders Guide to Birds of Eastern North America) and those birders who aren’t quite old enough or experienced enough to use advanced guides. While not completely geared towards them, we feel that the Smithsonian is the bird guide for teenagers.
Accompanying the Smithsonian Field Guide to Birds is a DVD loaded with 587 bird sounds covering 138 species. While many advanced birders (in age and skill) already have a more complete selection of bird sounds (some even on tape, gasp!), teenage birders will benefit greatly from loading up their iPods with a nice collection of bird sounds to take in the field or study anywhere. While there are better CD collections available, this one is added in the price of the field guide, providing an attractive package for cash-strapped teenage birders.
Red-headed Woodpecker, a perfect coverbird
Each family section of birds is introduced with an elegant and informative passage that is well worth reading before heading out in the field. The layout is clean and uncluttered with usually only one or two species per page. Many of the species have photos of the bird perched, in flight, and in other ways that best display crucial identification marks.
Written by Ted Floyd, editor of the American Birding Association’s Birding Magazine, the Smithsonian Guide has noticeable appeal to those looking to pad their ABA area lists. The guide uses a code system to assist birders in knowing the difficulty of finding certain birds. However, this system loses its attractiveness when all but 69 of the 730 species of birds covered in the guide are under Code 1 or Code 2.
Phriday Photo – Red-headed Woodpecker HDR
June 27, 2008
Article in: Photography
In order to take High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos of birds you have to be quick and they have to be pretty still. Movements on either end make the photo a bit junky, although a little bit is correctable.
Photo 1 – Underexposed (-2)
Photo 2 – “Normal” Exposure (0)
Photo 3 – Overexposed (+2)
Finished Product of a Red-headed Woodpecker in HDR
Now, this isn’t a perfectly done shot but we feel it often makes the colors “pop” and adds a little artistic quality to already beautiful birds. In a way, it helps to produce a more realistic image of what the bird looks like, although it can often be overdone making the image look a bit odd (which some may think this one looks).
Regardless, it was nice to find this Red-headed Woodpecker, as it is the first one spotted at Deer Run Forest Preserve this year. It is a shame these awesome birds are in decline.
Side note: these photos cost Birdfreak some lost blood as a cloud of mosquitoes decided outstretched arms with a camera in them make a wonderful buffet.
