Birds of the Los Angeles Region (Regional Bird Books) (ISBN 0964081059)

Birds of the Los Angeles Region:
First, I am not a bird watcher. I don't go out of my way to see birds and I'm not enthusiastic about sighting them. I just sit by my window and lately there have been many different birds in my garden. This isn't surprising because it's autumn and they're passing through. I never could find my way around a Petersen guide or other birds books I've seen, but Birds of the Los Angeles Region is organized so I can find what I just saw and the pictures make it recognizable. It also makes it easy to find the birds that will be in my microclimate, not all over Southern California. The descriptions give me all the information I want. Now I know I've had a junco living in the garden for a couple of weeks. I'd heard of juncos, but had no clue about what they were. My favorites were some yellow warblers. I didn't even know there were yellow warblers before this book. It stays on my desk by the window so I don't have to go out of my way to get acquainted with whoever is visiting today. This book has added a small pleasure my life. Whatever brings a small pleasure is a happy gift.

Great new reference:
Gotta have it if you live or spend time in greater L.A.

A Perfect Companion:
I've never been a bird watcher but while walking through a local park, a young boy and his grandmother were gazing up in a large tree and being curious, I stopped to see what they were looking at. To my amazement, only about 10 feet over our heads, was a beautiful hawk, just sitting there. He, or she, for I never found out, allowed us to ooo and ahh over him until we tired and left. It intrigued me, what kind of hawk was that? Or was it a hawk. All I knew is a few birds that it wasn't. On later walks I started noticing other birds and wanted to know more about them. I looked at bird books in the bookstore but they were filled with birds I'd never see here in the Los Angeles area. Then I saw an ad for this little book and was so pleased when I got it. I've identified many of the birds and now that I'm aware of all the birds that live here, I am thrilled to be able to look them up. The book is compact and easy to carry in my car in the handy door pocket where I can grab it quickly. It's not too heavy to stick in a backpack or even a large pocket and I often take it with me on my walks. It's reasonably priced and handy as all get out and a perfect introduciton to more ambitious bird watching further on. It's a great gift for friends and family. Adults as well as children can use and enjoy it. You can't go wrong.