Just a Few Bird Watching Tips
Over time, bird watching has grown extremely popular, so if you’re someone who is interested in this, there are some suggestions that will make this event more fun. When you first begin, distinguishing birds apart will be a challenge because they’re active and fast moving animals, So you’ll have to do your best to recognize as many points as possible in a short period of time. When a bird enters your vision, make the most of it, employing all the time you’ve and take note of it’s color, size, sounds and what it eats, how it eats it, etc. Alternatively, you can make sketches of items you observe but make sure that you always make the most of the time you’ve with that species.
While birdwatching relies heavily on sight, it can also be done by sound and many birds will reflect this by the sounds they make since many birds have an individual song, though it can be easily forgotten. When identifying a certain song to a bird, notice the movement of the bill as this will make sure that the song the sounds you are hearing relate to the bird you are watching. Taking note of the size and shape of the bird will help greatly with identifying it so start with what the bird looks like and go from there pay attention to the bird’s outline and other features so you have something to compare it to in the field guide. Pay close attention to the head, since every bird is unique as well as the shape of the beak, if it’s very wide you’re probably looking at a duck. then once this is done, look at the bird’s body, wings and tail finishing with the legs.
Watch closely to how the bird moves because this can tell you a lot about what species it might be try to determine what kind of food the bird eats. take notes on where the bird is living, the temperature the vegetation, etc which can easily be done once the bird has flown away because every region has their own type of bird, which is determined by the weather. along with all the other information, note where you saw the bird also write down that it could have migrated and consult the guide for more information on migration patterns. Write down anything you have noticed, in the notebook that you keep with you since those details will later help you when you sit down and try to identify the species.
Equipment wise, a pair of good binoculars helps to locate and identify the distant birds and many bird watchers will wear camouflage to blend with the surroundings. Long sleeved shirts, and long pants will go a long way in a wooded area, and leech socks help protect you from insects and leeches. Field boots will keep your feet dry as well as give you good traction. Some parks will provide shelters for bird watchers both elevated and ground level and will help you in your bird watching activities.
When you are out bird watching with friends and family and you see a rare species, don’t give vague directions but be as specific as you can once everyone knows where the bird is in general, start giving detailed directions. When the person finds the object you’re pointing out, use the clock system to pinpoint the direction. To give the proper directions, you can practice when you are by yourself
Remember, bird watching is a recreational activity make sure you know when you have taken steps to ensure you are prepared
