5 Tips For Successful Bird Watching
By: Chuck Fitzgerald
Can you name the number one spectator sport in North America?
It’s not baseball, figure skating or racing. It’s bird watching.
That’s right, more people are watching birds than football and
hockey combined. With so many people hoping to see a bird they’ve
never seen before, it’s not surprising to see a clamoring for the
latest tips and tools to get the job done. Here are my top five
tips for getting the most out of your birding experience.
#1. Get to Where the Birds Are! This sounds obvious, but many
birders spend the majority of their bird watching time and energy
on poor locations. Some folk have the advantage of looking out of
their windows into the back yard to observe nature’s best. The
rest of us need to get moving. I would highly recommend visiting
a National Wildlife Refuge. There are over 500 of them across the
United States.
#2. Know What Species to Expect. There are approximately 900
species of birds in the United States and recognizing each of
them is nearly impossible. So when you visit an area, do a little
research first. You may find that perhaps only a few species
actually inhabit that particular area. With a little preparation,
you will be able to more readily identify bird species from each
other. Keep a list of successfully viewed species – we’ll call
this tip number two and a half.
#3. Get a Great Pair of Binoculars. Spending time and money to
get to the right place can be totally wasted when your binoculars
are inadequate. If you have an inexpensive pair of binoculars you
are not getting the most out of your viewing. Today’s
technologies come at a price and they provide crucial benefits in
wildlife viewing. For instance, image stabilization will keep
your view from shaking-very important when watching from a long
distance. Other cool features include anti-fogging, low-light
viewing and wide-view characteristics. Additionally, binoculars
with built-in digital cameras enable you to identify birds once
you get home. These benefits will definitely enhance your bird
watching. A great pair of binoculars will turn a mediocre
experience into a great one. You can count on it!
#4. Practice Before You Go. A key to viewing wildlife, and
especially birds, is to have the ability to very quickly put your
binoculars on target. Many people have difficulty finding a full
moon in a pair of binoculars-but alas-learning to focus on a bird
in a bush or track a bird in flight is easy for someone who has
practiced prior to their outing. Try this before you go; lower
your binoculars to your side and very quickly raise them to find
and follow a jet airliner across the sky. After only a few
attempts, you’ll get good at quickly acquiring your target. Quite
often, birds are visible for only a few seconds, practice to
become proficient.
#5. Take Someone with You. Life is always better when shared. Not
only do you get to spend time out of doors with someone you like,
but they might alert you to the “Number One Sight of the Day.”
Share your birding experiences with your friends and family. Pass
the birding excitement to a child.
The best part about wildlife viewing is that you the viewer,
control almost every aspect of the experience. The more you are
prepared, the more rewarding your time in our backcountry will
be. Use this information and you’ll Get It Right The First Time.
Get Outdoors!
About the Author: Chuck Fitzgerald is the owner of Arizona based
BackCountry Toys, an online specialty store with the “Best Gear
Out There” and dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts to “Get
It Right The First Time” with timely educational information.
Please visit
http://www.BackCountryToys.com to find great gear
and to receive the Fact & Tips e-newsletter
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