Gear to Make a Bird-Watcher Sing
Ultimate birding book. The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2000; $35) is so thorough, detailed, and user-friendly, it has become the new standard for identifying birds—thanks to 6,600 illustrations. If God is in the details, this book is heavenly help for birders. But at nearly 7 by 10 inches and with more than 500 pages, it’s hard to lug as a field guide. You may want to leave it at home and stick with one of the pocket-size books when you’re tramping through a marsh. Due this month: Sibley’s Birding Basics (Alfred A. Knopf, New York; $15.95; www.aaknopf.com).
A bird in the hand. These soft, stuffed birds are cute, but they’re more than toys: the Cornell Lab of Ornithology gave each the authentic song of its living counterpart, recorded in the wild. The 5-inch Audubon bird toys are modeled after various species, including the cardinal, chickadee, goldfinch, grosbeak, loon, and robin. Audubon birds: $7.50 each. (800) 800-9678 or www.wildrepublic.com.
Adjustable bird feeder. The TopFlight Select-A-Seed feeder can be adjusted to dispense anything from the sunflower seeds that draw grosbeaks to the fine thistle seeds that attract goldfinches and pine siskins. $21 from Opus. (800) 221-6787 or www.opususa.com.