BBC are currently running a 5 part series on radio about "Identifying Coastal Birds". This is just a reflection of the increasing number of people who are taking to watching and listening to birds as a pastime, a hobby or even a profession. Identification can happen either through recognising the specie itself or, more often than not, recognising its calls and songs. Or both! There are a number of tools and guides available that help to increase one's abilities in recognition. Books are plenty but in useful adjunct is to listen to the increasing number of CD's, MP3's and even applets for phones where the sound is replicated by professional recordings. There is also BirdMIKE which is especially designed to bring sound to books. Just touch the birdmike device to a foldaway "field guide" and you will hear immediately the song and call of the specie selected. Remarkable!