Sometimes you just must find out what that shiny black elongated lump you discovered lying on a hillside in the snow might be. Maybe that palm-sized spider you uncovered when lifting the tarp from your woodpile startled you enough to need to know whether you’re in harm’s way. Then there’s that plant you’ve seen before, but can’t name right now, and that bird you’ve heard and still can’t label, or the elusive author of the “script” carved into that log, looking like a secret message meant for you. 

Wonder no more! The answer might be only a tap or two away on your smartphone. With the help of a mobile application  (app), what used to require research and resources (such as field journals) is often no longer necessary. 

For example, when it comes to identifying who is who-ing in the night woods, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s bird app, Merlin, is a hands-down winner. Check it out at www.merlin.allaboutbirds.org. For those seeking to identify and share images of plants, animals and fungi, iINaturalist (www.inaturalist.org) is a terrific tool. 

Both apps are free, and can provide information to satisfy amateur naturalists and scientists alike. 

And as in the case of the photo app that comes with some smartphones (like Apple’s iPhone) the curious can get started on their way to having that curiosity satisfied with a flick of the finger to access suggestions for what the app thinks your photo depicts. Some results are surprisingly accurate, while some will give you a good laugh.

  Have fun finding out what you’d like to know about the world out there. Fire up that app and figure out once and for all if that big spider is foe or friend (the latter). Just have a look, leave it alone and foray along to ID the next mysterious marvel to cross your path.

But don’t throw those field guides out! They offer valuable charms not achievable with the technology mentioned here. A topic for a future column!