For those that follow this madness and know my paucity of bird knowledge, I have taken steps to rectify my deficiency. I have successfully enrolled in the Birds of Southern California course at the college where I am occasionally allowed to work. It runs six weeks with 5 field trips to local birding areas. Now all I have to do is remember how to take notes and not fall asleep during lecture.
On the plus side, they have decided to accept two graduate degrees in lieu of the new state minimum math and English standards tests I was slated to take. They will probably come to regret it.