I love to read books, and I love to travel. Another way birding fits into my personality so well. I mentioned the Peterson Field Guide in my last bird post. We use a few other references, too. Peterson also has a Flash Guide, which is a big laminated poster that folds into your backpack (or in my case, purse - I've got all that other junk in there, what's one more thing). We bought the one for Western Trailside Birds, and it's so handy. And if birding isn't your thing, but constellations, or fish, or wildflowers is, they've got Flash Guides for all that and more.
Another quick reference we bought at Red Butte Gardens is the Pocket Naturalist's Guide to Utah Birds, also a laminated fold out and in my purse often. I should have plugged Red Butte Gardens more in my last post about bird spots we love in our area. This is a terrific place to take your family for any occasion. The children's garden entertains my brood for an hour if we let them, and always ends up with everyone being soaked. We bring dinner and eat there a lot. All of the main garden is paved, so stroller away. Plus there's trails behind that you can discover if you're feeling adventurous. All this summer they had Family Night concerts for members that we frequented. The pass is $55, well worth it, and I think it's $6 for adults for one day. Go see it!
And finally, our last reference book we bought at the Ogden Nature Center, Birds of Utah Field Guide, by Stan Tekiela. I love this book because he's chosen the 130 most popular birds of Utah, and each page has a real photograph of the bird, and often the male/female or juvenile shot as well. Plus, it's organized by main color of the bird. So if you see a blue bird, you can flip to the blue section to find your bird. I heart Stan.
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