A loss I didn't like posting

Looked to me like you got flustered and then just kinda stopped thinking.  You let him develop pieces and take control of the centre by putting your knight constantly in the firing line.  And after that I don't think you really had time to do anything.

I haven't studied openings at all so have no idea how birds is meant to develop... but it looked to me like you gave up your gameplan and inititive to respond to what was at the time a pretty nonexistant threat.

Apart from that, I'd say your attempts at formulating a counterattack were weak and ill concieved.  You didn't have the time or position to really create anything terribly threatening... digging in and trying to consolidate your position I think would have been a stronger play.  Push back his attack while laying the ground work for your counter attack rather than hoping he makes a mistake and doesn't see what you are planning.  I don't know enough or have the time to go through move by move analysis but those were my thoughts from looking at the game.

This is all just opinion and not meant to be offensive in anyway.  I hope it is not taken as such.

Moral: Dont play bird's (or any other) opening without understanding of *some* concepts behind it!  - and without going through some master-games classified under that opening - just buzz through those games - you dont have to understand every move! This way you'll get some feel for how the concepts work out in practice.

Note: since there is the opponent to deal with, read up the concepts behind some lines of the opening *from* both sides. Good source - even for beginners - is MCO-14 - the introduction part of each opening outlines the concepts.

[contd.] I mean the second chess book I read (c. 1975-76) was MCO-?10 (that ed. was edited by Larry Evans iirc) [first was "bobby fischer teaches chess" - i bought the two together]

There is a simple answer to why you lost - too many pawn moves in the opening.  The point behind your system with the Bird is to gain kingside space early, so you give up a bit of control of the center if he chews in with 1...d5.  But after f4 c5 b3 d5, you should continue with Bb2 or e3.  e3 might have been a better idea, going straight into a standard Bird's pawn formation, and if he played Nc6 early (a lot of people do), Bb5 is a nice binding idea for White, which helps your control of the e5 square.

Don't play so many pawn moves.  Go back and worry about development.  Like they said, the Bird is a good system - you just need more understanding of it.

I'm not familiar with your 2 opening moves but your opponent opens with sicilian and then expands with d5.

3.c4 I don't like this move, I think up until then you were playing by the book but by c4 you  play very exposed by attacking pawns with all your pieces still in place.

4.d4 still only pawns from both sides. I think the main problem here is thet your pawns are advanced but still in the way of pieces. your bishops and queen are trapped inside your structure. the only way for good development later on is to 0-0

5.dxc5 you are opening the pawns but still not ready to defend or attack after it's open. 

6.Nc3 It's good to develop your knight now but d4 was a logical response so e3 with 0-0 in mind would be my plan. 

9.e3 not bad, room for bishop and knight and queen and for 0-0.

10. have you considered Bd3? It slows his advancing pawn, develops bishop and gains position

11. true, this pawn opens you up

12. Be2, let him do the exchanging, you need the moves now. castling soon is important too.(the queen is not in direct danger by Nfx3)

13. by now you're in real trouble, his b7 Bishop prevents castling and your bishop from moving. your king is exposed. Bd3 leads to the same problems.

after 15. the game was over.

I don't think you played badly but but you were overwhelmed and there was not much you could've done. Next time I'd develop my pawns in order to get bishops and knights out.  To take control of the center etc. And it's also important to keep tempo.

1. f4 c5 is nowadays considered the "Professional's" response to Bird's - though afaik there is no name for it yet - birs's sicilian is as good a name as any.

Also you need tactics practice - do the daily puzzle and the 3 tactics trainer problems everyday - and don't get excited if you solve one, and don't worry if you fail to solve one. See the solution, see the ideas involved, see the most general way you can in which they can be applied,  see why other solutions fail [for the  given first move/until the last *key* move only] or are not so good - if you find an equally good or better alternative first move - post it for "peer review"!]

What if black had played From's (counter)gambit 1. f4 e5   ?  Let me hazard a guess - you would be even more clueless. Tactics, man!