Birding isn't something a person can just nonchalantly walk into. There are rules, and basic principles that must always be applied. Always! Rule number one of birding: never talk about birding. And so on ... Monday, a four-week "Birding Basics" class presented by Tahoma Audubon kicks off at the Tacoma Nature Center. Here's a snippet of the hype: "Curious about birds but don't know your crown from your tail feather? All are welcome to this intro to the joy of identifying the birds all around us." The cost of the month-long class is $55 per student and $45 per Audubon member, with more info available at tahomaaudubon.org.

[Tacoma Nature Center, 7-9 p.m., Mondays, Sept. 5-26, $45-$55, 1919 S. Tyler St., Tacoma, 253.591.8439]