Bird Watching

Bird Watching

Do you know what the number one hobby or spectator sport is in America? No it’s not watching baseball or football, it happens to be bird watching. More people watch birds in their spare time then watch hockey or football combined. In fact there are more different bird watching groups in America then any other type of group. With that much interest there should be no surprise that there is an abundance of information and bird watching tools available for the enthusiast, but many people just starting out still don’t know where to really look for birds. Sure you can walk down almost any street and see birds. But what about the more uncommon birds that you don’t normally see. Where do you go to see them? You could spend your time just wandering around in the woods and fields hoping to see a bird that you never have seen before, or you could plan your outing to areas where you know certain types of birds live.

I know this sounds like a no brainer, but you need to go to where the birds are. A good place to start is to find a bird sanctuary or wildlife refugee near you. There are hundreds of wildlife refugees in the United States and there is sure to be one with in driving distance of you. You can find a list of them at http://refuges.fws.gov. This is the federal wildlife service's web site for wildlife refugees.

It is a good idea to do a little research before you go out birding. Knowing what species of birds to expect in the area you are going to will be a big help in spotting the birds. Knowing before hand what the birds in that area look like and where they feed will go a long way in the sighting of those birds. For example if you know before hand that a certain species of woodpecker lives where you are going and feeds mostly in Oak trees then you will be listening for the tapping noise of the bird pecking out insects from the trees bark and you will pay close attention to the oak trees in that area when you are trying to spot that bird. May bird watchers will make a list of birds that are in a particular area and check off the list when they spot one of those birds. This will not only give you an idea of what you are looking for, but will act like a diary for you when you review what you have seen. Many people also make a master list of birds they want to see and make it their life time quest to see all the birds on that list.

There are very few tools you will need to go on a successful bird watching trip. A good pair of binoculars is probably the best investment and most expensive investment you will make. Binoculars have come a long ways in recent years and it is even possible to find them with built in digital cameras so you can keep a picture log of the birds you have seen in their natural habitat. Try not to go with the cheaper pairs. This is an investment that can last the rest of your life and you should be looking for features you want and need as apposed to the price. A good pair of binoculars can turn a bad experience into a very good one, so go with the best you can get. A good bird book with pictures and a notepad and pencil should complete your list of tools. Those are the basics of what you need for a great bird watching experience.

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