Rating: 
Summary: Excellent for the beginner/intermediate birder
Review: Using memorable examples and mnemonic devices that are actually relevant to any birder in the field, Walton brings birders of all levels a treasure trove of insight in his "Birding by Ear."This collection differs from other "bird song libraries" in several ways. First, the narrator comments on each species, making sure to point out the "gotcha" clues that are evident in every birdsong. And, he speaks to all levels of birders: from the backyard enthusiast to the tried and true birder who has only relied upon eyesight up 'til this point.An unqualified 5 stars! And, its great fun to play this tape nice and loud, with the windows rolled down at a red light! (you'll get some interesting looks.)
Rating:
Summary: A whole new world of birds will open up to you!
Review: Using memorable examples and mnemonic devices that are actually relevant to any birder in the field, Walton brings birders of all levels a treasure trove of insight in his "Birding by Ear."This collection differs from other "bird song libraries" in several ways. First, the narrator comments on each species, making sure to point out the "gotcha" clues that are evident in every birdsong. And, he speaks to all levels of birders: from the backyard enthusiast to the tried and true birder who has only relied upon eyesight up 'til this point. An unqualified 5 stars! And, its great fun to play this tape nice and loud, with the windows rolled down at a red light! (you'll get some interesting looks.)
Rating:
Summary: Birding by Ear
Review: Walton and Lawson's series of audio guides to bird songs are perhaps the best available for the beginning student of bird songs in North America. The reason for this is simple. Beginners need repetition to learn bird songs, as well as lengthy recordings that repeat each bird sound several times. These guides provide that, along with a detailed narration that points out specific differences between similar songs. There are four guides by Walton and Lawson that use this format: three "Birding by Ear" Guides (one for eastern and central North America, one for western North America, and a second volume for the east called "More Birding by Ear") and another guide called "Backyard Bird Song." All the guides are three CDs, except for "Backyard Bird Song" which is one disc, and is essentially a "junior" edition of the eastern/central edition of "Birding by Ear." All of the species on this single disc are also on the full-length guide, and are common garden birds found over much of the continent. This recording would provide good listening for someone who finds the full-length "Birding by Ear" overwhelming. In addition, it contains the sounds of several mammal species common in suburban and rural settings, which are not found on "Birding by Ear." The guides feature very good sound quality and generally excellent field recordings. (The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and the Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics provided most of the recordings for all the guides except "More Birding by Ear," where Lang Elliott's Nature Sound Studio and the Borror Lab are the primary sources of material). My only complaint (and this is a highly personal bias) is Walton's over-reliance on phonetic or verbal interpretations of bird songs to serve as a memory aid. Does anybody's ear actually interpret the brown-headed cowbird's song as "bubble, bubble, zee" or the great horned owl's call as "Who's awake, me too?" I can't hear this by any stretch of my imagination. But as Walton rightly points out, each person's ear is a bit different so if this works for you, all the better. Walton and Lawson have created invaluable tools for learning the too-often ignored language of nature around us. With most of these guides now available at reduced prices, I'd say buy them all if you can and you'll have an instant library of North American bird song, complete with a narrated tour to take you into this special world.
Rating:
Summary: The best introductory bird song guide available
Review: Walton and Lawson's series of audio guides to bird songs are perhaps the best available for the beginning student of bird songs in North America. The reason for this is simple. Beginners need repetition to learn bird songs, as well as lengthy recordings that repeat each bird sound several times. These guides provide that, along with a detailed narration that points out specific differences between similar songs. There are four guides by Walton and Lawson that use this format: three "Birding by Ear" Guides (one for eastern and central North America, one for western North America, and a second volume for the east called "More Birding by Ear") and another guide called "Backyard Bird Song." All the guides are three CDs, except for "Backyard Bird Song" which is one disc, and is essentially a "junior" edition of the eastern/central edition of "Birding by Ear." All of the species on this single disc are also on the full-length guide, and are common garden birds found over much of the continent. This recording would provide good listening for someone who finds the full-length "Birding by Ear" overwhelming. In addition, it contains the sounds of several mammal species common in suburban and rural settings, which are not found on "Birding by Ear." The guides feature very good sound quality and generally excellent field recordings. (The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and the Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics provided most of the recordings for all the guides except "More Birding by Ear," where Lang Elliott's Nature Sound Studio and the Borror Lab are the primary sources of material). My only complaint (and this is a highly personal bias) is Walton's over-reliance on phonetic or verbal interpretations of bird songs to serve as a memory aid. Does anybody's ear actually interpret the brown-headed cowbird's song as "bubble, bubble, zee" or the great horned owl's call as "Who's awake, me too?" I can't hear this by any stretch of my imagination. But as Walton rightly points out, each person's ear is a bit different so if this works for you, all the better. Walton and Lawson have created invaluable tools for learning the too-often ignored language of nature around us. With most of these guides now available at reduced prices, I'd say buy them all if you can and you'll have an instant library of North American bird song, complete with a narrated tour to take you into this special world.
| 
