This book provides answers to the most-often asked questions ranging from what to wear to where to go and how to make the best use of your binoculars, field guide, and backyard birdfeeder.Bird watching, or ôbirdingö to enthusiasts, is something anyone can do. No longer strictly the domain of ornithologists or the scientifically inclined, bird watching can be enjoyed by people of almost any age or ability. Written by an ornithologist and experienced birder, and backed by the highly respected and widely recognized Orvis name and richly illustrated with stunning and instructional photographs, this book introduces beginners to the many wonders of birding. Packed with practical information, this book will help first-time bird watchers enjoy their new-found hobby right from the start, avoiding typical beginner mistakes and quickly joining the ranks of experienced birders. This book is created to instruct and inspire anyone who wants to learn more about the amazingly vast world of birding -- a hobby that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.Unlike other guides that offer information that is too daunting, unwieldy, or obsolete to be much use to the novice, this book achieves the perfect balance between encouraging, instructing, and inspiring the true beginner.The book has 70 full-color photos. It is organized for ease of use and readability with sidebars, checklists, and quotes from renowned ornithologists and birders wherever possible and is formatted in the size and style of a field guide to make it the perfect take-along guidebook and handy reference.