I need help finding good sites online for plant identification...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

and basic Wetland info. My new apartment is surrounded on 3 sides by wetlands, I can spend hours on the balcony just watching the wildlife. :) I even pulled out the binoculars. I hope the neighbors don't get suspicious :o

Birds too - I saw a beautiful black bird with red stripes on his wing feathers, I have no idea what its called. :(

I need search-by-characteristics type links.

[Warpy]

1. I hate to say it, but your best bet is a BOOK

because I know of no online site that allows you to plug in "woody stem, broad leaves in groups of three, color medium green and shiny" and find poison ivy.

One of the first books I bought out here in the desert was a general bird, plant, and varmint identification book. I'd moved from New England, so I needed to know what wasn't friendly and what was. It's been an incredibly valuable resource. It was paperback and about ten bucks.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Well, I do have a library right across the park from me...

and books to return tomorrow. :)

[brook]

6. Link below

suggests some of the best guides and seems to have quite a bit of information on local flora as well.
The bird you decribed sounds like red-winged black bird. They're gorgeous! You're in for some fun. Enjoy!

link

[etherealtruth]

4. I agree

You can tote a book out into the field with you; it is often not a good idea to pluck a plant up and take it back to your computer for ID.

Check out local universities for info and recommendations.

[glitch]

2. I just got this book "A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of

Western WA and NW OR. Seattle Audobon Society, Sarah Spear Cooke, editor.
It's fabulous. Also, Washington Native Plant Society has a great website for plant identification http://www.wnps.org/

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. added to my book list

Thanks!

[seafan]

5. Red-winged blackbird? Take a look:

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i4980id.html





Here's a better pic:




http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/red-winged_blackbird.htm

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. great site, wrong bird

you couldn't see the red till he lifted his wings to take off. I thought it was a small crow at first.

I know we have Mallards, Chickadees, Blackbirds and I think I saw a Black Merlin yesterday. :)

[brook]

10. The red isn't always visible.

It's when they take off that it's easily seen generally.

&imgrefurl=http://www.assateague.com/red-winged-blackbird.html&h=479&w=350&sz=30&tbnid=P7ChEcPEhNHatM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=92&hl=en&start=24&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dredwinged%2Bblackbird%26start%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN">another image

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. Hey! I saw it again, this time with binoculars...

and you were right. :)

[eppur_se_muova]

14. Not much imagination in coming up with that name, was there :^D ?

[AmandaRuth]

7. try some of these pages

http://www.colby.edu/info.tech/BI211/PlantFamilyID.html

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/

http://gardening.wsu.edu/text/nwnative.htm

[DrGonzoLives]

12. Good ol' Audobon field guides

Those will get you very far. Try to find local/regional guides as well, as they can have more detailed information.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Maybe try the Tree of Life, tolweb.org

birds: http://tolweb.org/Neoaves/26305
flowering plants: http://tolweb.org/Angiosperms/20646

This may be way more than you were asking for. It's not a *field guide*. More useful for biologists. You could try enature.com http://www.enature.com/home/ or the Cornell ornithology lab http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/ but Cornell is still working on their search tools.

Oh, some gorgeous pictures.

[kineneb]

15. red-winged blackbirds and other fowl

I have lots in my yard, mooching at the feeder. They are fun to watch during mating season, when "da guys" show off for their dates. They will fluff up, show off the red feathers and try to shove the other males off the feeder. Don't get me going on duck mating habits...it was embarassing...and doves, are well, just plain stupid...

Get yourself the proper plant and bird books for your area. You will have great fun.