Average Customer Review:
 ( 35 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 56 found the following review helpful:
 Good for the intermediate birderNov 22, 2003
By merrymousies
I first received this as a gift when I was a beginning birder (basically from the backyard) and to be honest - at that point it was too much for me. I just got confused because actually listening to birds and all their different types of songs/calls and then trying to figure out which bird on the cd it might have been was tough (I'd forget what the bird sounded like and it'd leave before I found it on the cd). But that was me as a beginner. Now that I have a few bird songs under my belt and I can tell the difference between a woodpecker and a nuthatch without a second thought (yea, I was a real beginner) this cd is of better use. Now I can use it to hone in on birds that I think the song might be rather than having to go through so many because it was all so new. So, bottom line, I think its an excellent set of cds that you can really learn from but its better for someone who has thew basics down rather than someone who is the blank slate just starting to learn.
59 of 61 found the following review helpful:
 Excellent for all birding enthusiasts!Jul 21, 1999
By Shawna Ellis
"Constant Reader"
This booklet and CD collection is quite helpful when you return from the field after birdwatching. The songs and calls represented give a wide range of the common sounds you will hear. Alarm, breeding , and colony calls are all included (for species to which they all apply). It also does such a fantastic job of showing some less common calls that you may have never known belonged to a certain bird! After only owning it five days, it has already proved useful on several occasions and answered questions about bird calls that I've had for years. The text gives clear explanations of what the calls are used for and the circumstances in which they were recorded. The CD version is convenient for quick location and is organized for ease of use. We highly recommend it! The sound quality is terrific!
83 of 88 found the following review helpful:
 not for beginning birdersMay 29, 2002
I bought this collection to replace a set of Aubudon tapes that I'd lost a few years ago, and have found that I much preferred my old tapes to this collection. While the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs is very comprehensive and has great depth and variety, I am unable to use it to identify a couple of fairly common bird songs I hear in my back yard. With only the bird name and no other description provided on the cds, all of the songs and calls start to run together. What I particularly liked about my previous tapes was the additional song and habitat descriptions provided around the calls. The Stokes companion booklet provides some of this information, but my purpose in purchasing an audio guide was to listen, not to read. For an experienced birder or someone who knows what they are listening for in the field, this will probably be a helpful guide. For someone just starting out, a collection of fewer songs and more description would be a better bet.
26 of 28 found the following review helpful:
The must have CD set for birders!!Mar 21, 2001
By Aquaria.Info
"Aquaria.Info - Aquarium Fish Online"
Since I've owned this set I have listened to it at least 100 times!This incredible CD set and accompanying pamphlet are simple and easy to use. Each bird is identified prior to playing the song. Most birds have several songs played, either multiple birds singing the same song, or different types of songs that a particular bird uses. For example the Blue Jay features typical calls, immitation of Hawks, etc. If you are a birder then you simply must have this CD set!
50 of 59 found the following review helpful:
Relive Hitchcock.May 18, 2001
By Steven M. Cohen
"Steve"
A fellow birder brought Stoke's discs on a bird walk early one refreshing May morn' along with a small CD player. I admit I felt uneasy. This was a chance to get away from technology, not be weighed down by it. But yee' have little faith. Within a few foot falls we heard what our guide identified as a common yellow throat warbler off in the bush. It seemed this bird was teasing us, saying, "i'm out here but you'll never see me, ha, ha, ha". My friend frantically fumbled with the discs and clicked the >> button 39 times as he counted out loud. Guess he didn't see the little number on the display. To our surprise, as the sound sample played, and we all nodded in agreement "uh-huh, yep, that's it", the warbler hastily arrived on the scene, mad as friggin' hell. He popped all around us from tree to tree as we excitedly looked through our binocs in what birdwatchers often lie about at conventions. Apparently, the bird wholeheartedly endorses the CD. In fact, lucky for us we weren't in Bodega Bay with a couple of fish crows and a script from Alfred Hitchcock. The best part was we all got a great close up view of this striking warbler! Samples also worked with an oven bird, house wren, and blue-winged warbler. But don't take my word for it, 4 out 5 birds recommend Stoke's to all the birdwatch challenged.
See all 35 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
based on 35 reviews
