Fort Lowell Park: Learn and practice Merlin Bird ID and Sound ID phone apps

Trip difficulty: Easy, 1-1.5 miles on level, unpaved terrain. May not be appropriate for wheelchair access. Restrooms available.

Improve your bird ID skills using your smartphone! Apps for birders are like having a well-informed bird guide sitting on your shoulder, and you can leave your heavy field guide book in the car. You’ll get an email 2 days before our field trip with instructions to set up your iPhone or Android with the FREE Merlin Bird ID app before our outing. Bring your phone (fully charged) and your binoculars, and we’ll learn and practice using the app to help you identify birds by sight and by sound. Beginners and young people are welcome; no prior experience with birding or with Merlin Bird ID necessary. Even if you have used Merlin before, it’s a good opportunity to learn and practice its latest features. Your field trip leader Laura Couchman is experienced with Merlin and eBird and can answer your questions about these tech tools.

Fort Lowell Park in Tucson is a great place to see and hear a variety of Tucson’s urban birds. Dress for January’s chilly early morning temperatures, and bring water. Meet at the tables under the ramada at the north end of the parking lot, near the old fort; we’ll wrap up about 9:45 am. Limited to 12 participants.

Leader: Laura Couchman (laura.d.couchman@gmail.com)

Header Image: American Wigeon by Stephen Nelson