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Birding guides & honest gear advice

Practical, jargon-free birding advice — gear comparisons, backyard how-tos, and the answers to questions every new birder has. No fluff, no gatekeeping.

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Showing 3 posts tagged #birding-apps

#ebird #birding-apps #trip-planning

eBird Explore: Find the Bird, Then Read Your Odds

Explore turns eBird from a notebook into a trip planner. Route your question to the right tool, then read a bar chart for what it is: a reporting rate.

Hilly Shore Labs6 min·August 21, 2026

#ebird #birding-apps #citizen-science

How to Use eBird: Your Birding Notebook, Explained

eBird is a free Cornell Lab app that turns your everyday sightings into a life list and real conservation science. Here's how to start today.

Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026

#merlin-bird-id #bird-song-id #beginner-birding

How to Use Merlin Bird ID: A Beginner's Walkthrough

Merlin Bird ID is a free Cornell Lab app that names birds by sound, photo, or five simple questions. Here's how to set it up and use it well.

Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026