Watching Birds is Fun!
Enjoying birds and bird watching is one of the best ways to get out of the house and into the countryside and away from your back yard. By watching them in their natural habitat you will see them in their normal environment and it will be a different experience than watching them at the bird houses and bird feeders in you yard.
Bird watching has become a very popular past time and this is set to increase. More of us find that we have more leisure time available and are keen to participate. We also appreciate that taking an interest in nature is one of the best ways to get started on a path to help protect the environment and the habitat that birds require to succeed.
Before going off on their first birding trips new birders should learn some of the basics for successful bird watching to avoid the potential for disappointment. Having a bird feeder or bird house in the back yard is a great idea, but to see more birds you need to visit their local habitat to find them.
Get Up Early and Be There Before Dawn!
In order to see the greatest number of birds possible an early start is imperative as this when the birds are most active. Wherever your birding trip takes you, you will always have more success early in the morning even if it is in your yard, in a local park or woods or on a beach.
The night before your birding trip make sure you get to bed early too so that you are fully rested for the early start the following day. If possible get to your location just before dawn or very soon after. Then for a few hours you will see many birds. Later in the morning as the sun gets higher bird activity and the number of birds you will see will decrease.
Only Wear Darker Dull Colors – Nothing Bright!
One of the worst things you can do when birding is to wear bright colored clothing as by doing this you let the birds see you a lot easier and your movements will make them take cover before you even get near and you will not see them.
As a birder you should try and wear clothing that has a more natural and darker color that fits in with the area and foliage where you will be bird watching.
Being camouflaged in the foliage or habitat where the birds are located will mean that you are less easy to detect and therefore pose less of a threat to the birds. Even combat type gear might be appropriate if you are very serious about finding the best birds.
Try Not To Talk And Also Walk Quietly
While you are bird watching always move slowly and above all quietly. If you are with a friend and continuously talking you will never see many birds as the noise you make will scare them off and the fact that you are talking will drown out any noise the birds might make so you will never hear them either.
Always communicate with others very quietly and whisper if necessary and when closer to the birds use hand signals to indication the location of the birds, but do not raise you arm to point out the birds as they will easily see this and be off!
A good plan is to always stay behind objects such as a bush or a tree and look around or through them to hide your silhouette from the birds as once they see you they will become more nervous.
Please Do Not Wander Around Off Trail – It’s Noisy!
Never chase the birds or try other techniques aimed at flushing out a bird from the undergrowth as this will just stress them and they will fly off anyway so you will not get a chance to see them. Stick to the trail at all times to avoid disturbing the birds and you will get much better views.
Also if you do not already have bird feeders or bird houses in your yard you should definitely put some up in appropriate locations and start feeding the birds as this will get many more birds into your back yard and make them much easier for you to see.
Do not approach birds too closely especially during the spring and summer breading season and definitely do not go near their nests.
Birding Binoculars or a Spotting Scope are Essential
It is easy and safer to see birds from a distance and this is why you should invest in a good pair of binoculars and as you get more serious about watching birds you might also want to buy a spotting scope to get the closest views of birds possible.
If you are a lover of nature then bird watching can be extremely enjoyable. It does not have to be expensive and although birding can become a bit of a challenge it always remains great fun.
Even if you just start by watching the birds at your bird feeders or bird houses during the nesting season you will get great enjoyment from bird watching.
Have Fun Birding and Enjoy Being a Birder!
Get Up Early and go bird watching to find the best birds.