A Wizard of an App

I'm not a big fan of phone apps. I've tried various plant and fungi recognition apps and they're okay but they do make quite a few mistakes. This was a real issue for the fungi apps, one of which told me that a poisonous Yellow Stainer was edible.

However, I've found a couple that I rate. The first is the Woodland Trust's Tree Identification app, British Trees. The other is the Merlin Bird ID app.

The tree app gives you a choice of options. 

You can identify a tree by its features,

Alternatively, there's a photographic guide by species. Each entry shows the main identifying features, such as leaf shape, fruit, bark texture etc.

I reckon it's pretty good. 

Then there's the Merlin App. This allows you to identify birds by a photo or by birdsong.

I've found it to be pretty accurate and I've only ever had one erroneous result when it suggested that a duck was nearby. If it was, it was hiding. Which immediately made me think of this old Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson.

There's also a handy reference section where you can listen to recorded bird song. 

 

On the whole, two very good - and FREE - additions to your phone.