Birding Basics Getting Started Youtube

As with any challenging and rewarding activity, birding can be hard to break into. I advocate a new approach to beginning birding where you learn birds in the same way you learn other familiar objects. The result is a stress free and fun way to start putting names to birds.
Great backyard bird ID vids by Lew Scharpf:
• Identify Your Common B...
Get Merlin ID app for free:
merlin.allabou...

[@Scarflix]

Love the music in the intro!

[@carolstella6776]

I guess I’m mostly a backyard birder. I’ve always avoided getting into any birding group because I was afraid they would make me feel stupid, and diminish my love for birds. The Merlin app has been a big help tho. I’m learning how to recognize them by their call also.

[@maryloumawson6006]

It's not always helpful to consult with an experienced birder. I'm very lucky to have access to an aunt who has been a very keen birder for over 40 years. However, she can sometimes muddy the waters for me with a little too much information. I only started birding a couple of years ago. I'm not up to the finer distinctions between races of Chickadees, or the differences in a mature gull verses a second winter gull, etc. And we won't even talk about Warblers! But I'm slowly gaining expertise, and I've accepted that I'll never be as knowledgeable as she is. But as Pete Dunne said to me during a seminar in Cape May, "Don't stress, this is supposed to be FUN!"

[@birdingbetter7600]

I agree. It is like any complex activity--car repair, football, card games--it is hard for some with vast knowledge to help a beginner being. Do birding at your own pace.