Birdwatching or "birding" is more than just your grandmother sitting at her front window admiring the Black-capped Chickadees. Well, it is that and it is also dedicated birders traveling the world and waiting for days in stillness simply for the pleasure and accomplishment of sighting a particularly rare bird in the wild. However, most birders fall in between these two poles. To begin birding you need to be able to recognize a few bird species that live in your area. Start obvious by noting every time you see a crow, a blue jay, or a cardinal. Then learn more local bird species and the differences between a crow, a rook, and a raven. Get some binoculars and start watching birds from your window or take a nature walk and try to recognize as many species as you can. Birding can be both exciting and soothing and a perfect way to spend time outside, not to mention a great chance to bond with your grandmother.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds--E by 
Ortho's Guide to the Birds Around Us by 
