I'm not going to tell you what to get, as I haven't even tried a dSLR or mirrorless yet - I'm still firmly in the bridge camera/training wheels category.
But
three sites that helped me decide between the gazillion camera models out there are:
Nikon D5300 vs Nikon D7100 Detailed Comparison
For a quick look at the differences between various models, this site is fantastic. I've linked to a comparison between
@DeloresRose's Nikon on the left, and
@charlie1465's on the right.
Home | Photography Blog
I found the
reviews on this site were great, and the format meant you could compare cameras easily by looking at the different reviews.
Canon SX40 HS Review
Another good review site, I linked it to my wee camera

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Photography is a great hobby. I got hooked a long time ago, and got into birds mostly when I went digital around 2006. I remember when the sx50 came out and most liked the old sx40 better, I always wanted to pick one up as a take everywhere camera. I just lug a backpack and an old 7d2 around whenever I go out. I only go early as I take care of my wife when she is up.