Bird watching is an exciting hobby that keeps you close to nature. If you are also fond of bird watching but do not know how to start bird watching, here is some important information for you to start with.
Why to go for bird watching?
Well! Staying close to nature is always fun and full of excitement, but here are some of the main reasons why you should opt for the activity:
- You get to know about the natural habitat’s actual condition and how the visitors are utilizing space. If you realize that people are misusing, threatening, or littering the places, you can indeed report it to the authorities.
- This is a way to explore the world. This is an exciting way of knowing about nature and how the natural environments work, how different creatures are living in harmonious co-existence.
- You get to know other people who share the same level of interest in the hobby. You can even learn from them about their experiences. Especially if you are a beginner, you can have tips on how to bird watch.
- It allows you to go with the flow. You learn how to enjoy particular moments without worrying about worldly affairs.
- You can improve your level of concentration when you are in a place for bird watching. This is a form of meditation, which enables you to appreciate the purity of nature.
How to start bird watching?
Now, if you want to dig deeper into bird watching, you need to know about the bird watching equipment. It is simple to go about it. All you need is:
- Binoculars for bird watching, a high-quality monocular or a spotting scope
- A well-explained field guide
- A bird feeder to attract the birds
Now let us go through the details about it one by one:
Binoculars or Monocular:
The essential equipment which is a must for bird watching is a pair of binoculars. You can find the best binoculars with the full spectrum and pick according to your requirement and preference. They come with or without bird-watching scopes.
The quality of binoculars will ultimately enhance or spoil your experience of bird watching. So, you have to be careful while choosing binoculars for yourself. However, here are some of the factors based on which you can buy the binoculars for bird watching.
Birding Goals:
It largely depends on what are your birding goals. For instance, if you are seriously taking up the hobby, you have to go for high-end binoculars. Alternatively, if you are trying to get a feel of it in the first place, you can go for a low-budget option. Whatever your goal is, you can take your time and opt for the binoculars of your choice.
Trying the Binoculars:
It would help if you did not go with the recommendations from a friend or family. The reason is every individual has his requirements and comfort level with the equipment. So, it is always good to try the binoculars yourself to avoid frustration. In some cases, there are even the shooting ranges just next to the binoculars shops as they know that the birdwatchers mostly try the equipment before making the ultimate purchase.
Weight and Portability:
If you are one of those who want to chase the birds and track their movement, you should go for a light-weight pair of binoculars . There are Ergonomic binoculars that enable you to carry them from one place to another as they are light in weight. This is important because you will instead get tired if the equipment is too heavy, and you will not be able to enjoy your hobby to the utmost.
Magnification:
Another vital factor to consider is the magnification of your equipment. Ideally, the 7 – 10x magnification will serve the purpose. However, you can even buy a low-end binocular.
Field Guides:
When you have gone through the basics, now is the time to have the details of studying the birds you are watching. Especially if you are a beginner, you might not know about the birds’ species and their categories.
For that purpose, you need to have a well-written field guide. Yes, this is the literature specially designed to educate the birdwatchers to stay informed about the birds they are watching. I prefer to take the Field guide which explains everything about the birds in that particular place where you are going.
Bird Feeders:
Since all the birds need is water, food, and shelter, you can keep the following points in your mind when it comes to making a bird feeder:
Sheltered space:
You cannot attract birds if you place food and water in open spaces. They feel protected when they see a shelter. So, create a quiet shelter so that they can feel safe.
Food and Water:
For food, the best option is Black-oil sunflower. This is the favorite food of most of the small-spaced environments. Finches, Sparrows , and Cardinals will come to feed on the oil.
The trick here is to mix and match different combinations of bird food as you can have the options from the various apps for smartphones and other literature to offer the variety to the birds. Water is a must for birds as it provides them the energy to move and keeps them active.
Conclusion:
So, this concludes the basics of how to start bird watching. Since the hobby is all about being quiet and calm, these are the essential things which you should keep in mind.
In most cases, the bird watchers follow the sounds more than the birds’ sights in the first place, so you have to keep it quiet so that you can easily track the movement of birds, and then you can surely enjoy yourself watching them.