Well it’s that time of the year when I try to remember what I purchased for my grandchildren last year and at the same time, ask them to give me some of their ideas for this year. This year’s list seems even longer. Filling their lists is the easiest.

It is tougher to think of gift ideas for my adult children or my spouse. It seems that maybe we don’t need or want too much anymore. But, there is always a gift that will make someone thankful and/or happy.

If you’re reading my column, I’m guessing that you have an interest in nature and what it has to offer. Maybe your gift ideas could be nature related. There are a slew of books that you can buy, especially for that person who has an interest in birds. I like the “Crossley Guide” and the “Sibley Guide to Birds.”

They are not “take it with” in the field books but have great illustrations, life history, and bird habits. If you have younger children/grandchildren, or someone starting out, “Golden Guides” (once called Golden Nature Guides) are small paperbacks and cover a wide arrange of topics like fungi, insects or reptiles.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has a Web page where you can find some interesting reads. The late Bob Sopchick has released a book called “Penn’s Woods Passages” which I believe would interest any nature minded person. Many “moons” ago I purchased their “Woodlands and Wildlife” book and this is a very informative resource. This book gives you specs on building everything from bluebird boxes to brush piles. It too might make a nice gift. In an earlier column I penned a few ways you could make your property/yard more conducive to wildlife. This same PGC site sells a “Landscaping for Wildlife” book too.

I heartily recommend an app for your phone. It is Sibley’s Birds, second edition. You can purchase this app for about $20 and it is a great reference tool. If you’re on one of your nature treks and you hear or see a bird, you type in the bird name you think you found, and in a second, there are photos, habits, and the best part, the bird’s songs or calls. I use this app nearly anytime I’m afield.

Optics, binoculars, in particular are important. I received a rather expensive pair about 20 years ago and it goes with me all the time. Leica, Zeiss, etc. are high end optics and pricey, but if you spend $1,000 and use it 20 years, it costs you about $50 a year. Most can be resold for close to what you paid. (Even better, repairs or adjustments are usually free). Think of the expense of a camper or all-terrain vehicle and how quickly they depreciate. My suggestion, if you like birding or nature, consider purchasing a top quality optic as a gift, or to gift yourself.

If you still need another idea or two; how about gifting hummingbird or oriole feeders, suet cakes, or other bird feeding supplies. No matter, enjoy the holidays and remember to get out there.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: In our local area, in a year of birding, you can find ____ species of woodpeckers. A. 12; B. 7; C. 5; D. 4

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: It may surprise you but bobwhite (quail) can no longer be found in Pennsylvania.

Barry Reed is a Saturday columnist in the Times News. Contact him at breed71@gmail.com.