BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
BEST BIRD WATCHING LOCATIONS Enjoy Bird Watching Through Scope
BACKYARD BIRD WATCHING Why You Should Love Birding
CONTENTS 1.
Best Bird Watching Locations
1
2.
Backyard Bird Watching
6
3.
Enjoy Bird Watching Through Scope
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4.
Why You Should Love Birding
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5.
Why You Need Binoculars For Bird Watching
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6.
Why You Need Vest For Bird Watching
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BEST BIRD WATCHING LOCATIONS
B
IRDWATCHING IS FASTEST GROWING OUTDOOR SPORT WHERE BOTH
adults and kids engage to. Its growing popularity has something to do with the benefits and joys hobbyist enjoy. Bird watching can be done at your backyard. But some birdwatchers would like to combine vacation, travel and birding. 1
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
So, let us see what are the best locations for bird watching? 1. United States That is our first stop. The following are considered to be the best ten places in the United States for bird watching. A. Nevada This state known to be one of the hottest tourist destinations on the planet serves as the home for some of the rarest species of birds and bird favourites among bird watchers. In the center of the state lies the Nevada National Wildlife Refuge. B. Montana Also a also a bird watcher’s paradise. The seventh most rare bird species resides in Montana and is protected by federal and state law. C. Maine The climate in this state makes it perfect for migratory birds, many hobbyist visit Maine during winter which the best time for bird watching here. D. Florida This state serves as the home for the most beautiful birds that the world has ever seen. It also holds an annual tour for bird watching, it is also one the highly sought after destinations.
Best Bird Watching Locations
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E. Alaska This state may seem cold but many native species reside in the state. F. Indiana There are large numbers of state parks in this state making it big with bird watchers. The parks in this state are protected and house many rare species of birds. G. Washington This state has large natural forests that dot the landscape. The second rarest bird in the country resides in the borders of Washington State. H. Ohio This state also has many state parks that serve as sanctuaries for birds. I. California California is often visited for their bird watching and scenic beauty. J. Oregon The rarest bird can be found in this state as its summer home. The Pyrenees of France and the forests of Bulgaria are also rich with bird life that is a paradise for bird watchers. The top locations in Europe are:
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
K. Orkney Islands, Scotland This archipelago is the home for amazing number of birds like guillemot, razorbill, puffin, kittiwake, breeding fowl and the short- eared owl. L. Camargue, France This place is a 210,000 acre national park in the vast Rhone delta and teems with shorebirds, herons and gulls. This is also the breeding area for the Greater Flamingo. M. Faroe Islands, Denmark This group of islands has 18 islands lying between Iceland and Norway where birdlife is abundant. N. Yell, Shetland Isles This island is remote and barely habited. You can take a coastal walk and not experience the birds but the marine life as well. O. Iceland High latitude birding can be done here since bird habitats can be spotted in towering cliffs. P. Bulgaria Spring is the best season for birdwatching in this country since autumn migrating Asian birds pass here. Q. Pembrokeshire, Wales There are several island bird sanctuaries providing refuge for many species of birds and all kinds of wildlife.
Best Bird Watching Locations
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R. Greece There are 196 important bird areas in this country. Some birds even stay in Greece during winter, which is a unique phenomenon in Europe. S. Pyrenees, France This is one of Europe’s great birding destinations. T. Spitsbergen, Svalbard Norway There are abundant seabird colonies and species making it one of the greatest birdwatching locations. There are great places you can visit for bird watching. But if it is difficult to or if these places are not accessible, you can always do some bird watching in the local park or in your backyard.
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BACKYARD BIRD WATCHING
Y
OU DO NOT HAVE TO GO FAR TO ENJOY THE JOYS AND HAPPINESS OF
bird watching. Our own backyards can serve as the fun place where new bird watchers can start learning from the basics. To construct the best birdwatching area in your backyard, you can make use the service of bird feeders. Getting bird feeders is making sure that birds never ran out. Make sure you research how far away from each other the feeders should be. 6
Backyard Bird Watching
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What to feed them is another thing that you should know something about. Just like the feeders, the food that you select should depend in large part on what type of birds you are hoping to attract and where you live. Some of the more common types of bird feed are sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and thistle. Often found in a mix, pour this type of seed into a hopper type feeder to meet the needs of several different species at one backyard bird watching station. Since you have constructed some feeders, which are very good ways of experiencing the birds on a greater level, you should ensure that the created place for backyard watching gets the complete view. Remove low hanging branches that may block your view. Do this when there are no bird around feeding on the feeders, sudden change in environment may disrupt their behaviour patterns. Now that you are ready to begin your observations, you will find that you need some kind of magnifying device in order to see the birds better. A basic pair of binoculars to watch is usually sufficient for beginners, though you may find it better to mount a spotting scope near a bird watching picture window in your home. These optical devices will greatly increase your ability to identify birds and to get to them by their distinct markings and behaviours. The plant lay-out or the spacing between trees and shrubs are all important factors when taking into consideration our avian friends. It is important to consider to provide open spaces that should be well protected from wind and street noise, since these noise does not appeal to birds.
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
Increasing the number of plants in your backyard, guaranteed more birds will be starting to get cover. You can even try to create a layered garden to provide richness and diversity in your garden. You can add layers by planting clusters of shade loving small trees, shrubs and ground covers under taller trees. They would look a little bit close to the natural woodland. A good thing about bird watching or keeping bird watching atmosphere in your backyard, is that your garden tends to be an organic garden. The birds helped in controlling the garden pests and diseases with an arsenal of chemicals, organic gardening balances the ecosystem healthily. A working knowledge of organic gardening is important to a gardener intent on attracting birds and butterflies. Using plants native to your region reduces the need for pesticide use since native plants are resistant to local pets and disease. There is nothing better than watching colourful birds fly around a native and natural garden that almost look like the bird’s natural habitat. This makes sure that birds will be coming back in our backyard. Bird watching is a pastime many people can enjoy and do without leaving your house or the city.
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ENJOY BIRD WATCHING THROUGH SCOPE
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TELESCOPE OR SCOPE IS WHAT SOME PEOPLE USE WHEN THEY GO
bird watching. Some people prefer to use this over the binoculars because according to them, the optics is much better. There are 2 scopes to choose from for you bird watchers. The first is the straight scope which is very similar to what hunters have on their rifles because the eyepiece and the body of the scope are on the same axis. 9
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
The second is the angled scope with the eyepiece angled to 45 degrees from the scope body which allows the user to look down instead of up or wherever the bird is. When you are buying straight or angled scope, there are some similarities and differences. When buying a straight scope, be sure that it is relatively unobtrusive so you will be able to shift focus easily should the bird suddenly fly off making it easy for you to track where it goes. If you are also a bird watcher and a hunter at the same time, pick one that has other features such as illumination and markings as this will tell you bullet drop and wind direction. You should also check if the scope you are purchasing has detachable rings. This will allow you to easily change scopes if the conditions change. For the angled scope, weight is still a factor especially when you are carrying it until you find an ideal spot to go bird watching. Once you set it and mount it on a tripod, you can turn it in any direction without even looking into the lens to find a bird. Regardless of what kind of scope you are planning to buy, the best place to get this is from a local gun shop or sporting goods store. If the items are a bit pricey, remember the model number and the brand of the one you like and try to find the same item online. The ideal scope to get should be 9x36 which means that you can see nine times beyond the normal range and the diameter or field of view is about 36mm. The new ones in the market have magnifications ranging between 20x and 60x in normal daylight conditions with an objective lens diameter of about 50 to 80 mm but getting one between 20x and 30x is just about right.
Enjoy Bird Watching Through Scope
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When shopping for the lens, don’t forget to check if this is waterproof. This will allow you to use it when it rains or even under harsher conditions. To give you an idea of what brands that sell scopes, high end ones are sold by Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss. Mid-range ones are sold by Kowa, Nikon and Pentax. The lower end brand which is still quite useful for those who enjoy bird watching is Bushnell. Proper care must be given to your scope. It has to be stored and cleaned properly each time it is brought out and stored so you are sure that it is good as new just like the day you brought it home from the sporting goods store. You can’t go bird watching without either a scope or a pair of binoculars. You can use whichever you are most comfortable with because that is all that matters when you are outdoors.
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WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE BIRDING
B
IRDING - IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THE TERM YET - IS ACTUALLY A
term used interchangeably with bird watching. At times, however, birding is used to describe a method of bird watching where bird sounds are used to call and help spot birds. In Shakespearean literature, birding is synonymous with bird hunting. Now, there is one more term that you might have encountered in this field, and that is twitcher. A twitcher is someone that goes out of his way, often traveling long distances just to get a chance to see rare species of birds. Whether you are a bird watcher or twitcher, there is 1 certain thing. 12
Why You Should Love Birding
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That is you got to love bird watching. The history of bird watching is not as pretty as you might think. Early bird watchers like Gilbert White, George Montagu, John Clare, and many others did began observing birds for aesthetics and for scientific studies and research. However, during the Victorian Era, there was a clamor for collecting bird eggs and bird skins. This could have led to unnecessary bird hunting. For centuries, birds were shot and mounted to be studied and displayed. Eventually, humans came to their senses and calls for stricter bird protection policies became a sort of movement before the turn of the 1900s. Today, bird watching involves the use of binoculars, photography gears, and even drawing and painting equipment. The practice is also not limited to scientists and the like who observe birds in their natural habitat to get precise documentations of different species. Bird watching has trickled down to the laymen who watch birds to have a change to get to enjoy nature, first and foremost. Birds watching groups have made the practice even more popular. Groups will often organize a weekly trip to different spots where they can get a glimpse of different kinds of birds in their natural environment. The existence of a number bird watching guides and related publications is a sort of testimony on the popularity of this hobby. Some other reasons why this particular hobby began to be popular is the access to the tools of the trade. When the Second World War was over, military binoculars became cheaply available to the public.
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
As technologies progressed, so did the gear used for bird watching. From binoculars to spotting scopes and even audio equipment used for identifying bird calls and noises, some bird watchers have become gear obsessed. Photography and video equipment have become a major factor for this hobby as well. Specialized lenses that can capture birds from great distances have become a major concern. The publication of several books on birds and bird watching instigated an interest in the hobby as well. Today, it seems bird watching remains to be a hobby preferred by only a few. Nevertheless, one study has found out that Americans for one are becoming more interested in bird watching. There are even competitions or events on bird watching. Participants are often tasked to spot and identify as many birds as possible given a set time. The group or individual who gets the most number of properly identified birds win the contest. However, the great outdoors is not for everyone. Some people will never appreciate the beauty of nature and the wilderness. But if you’re a nature lover, then definitely you will love birding.
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WHY YOU NEED BINOCULARS FOR BIRD WATCHING
B
IRD WATCHING IS A GREAT HOBBY UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE TO
stay at a certain distance so you will be able to see them. For that, you will need to get a pair of binoculars which you purchase online or from any sporting goods store. When you are buying a pair of binoculars, you should pay attention to the magnification. If it says 8x25 or 8x40, the number 8 means how many times the bird will be enlarged when you use it. 15
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
For those who do not understand what this means, just picture the bird a little bit closer towards you even if you are 500 or even 1000 yards away from the bird. These days, there are binoculars that are 10x but it should be pointed out that anything higher than that is not always good because it affects the brightness of the image as well as the field of view. If you decide to so, what you are carrying is heavy and you will need a tripod. The second number in the binoculars is the diameter or width of each front lens. The higher it is, the better because it allows more light to enter so you are able to see the image more clearly. If you think getting a compact pair of binoculars is just as good as the big one, think again because smaller ones only have a narrow field of view. This means that if the bird you are watching flies off, you won’t be able to track its movement unlike the bigger one which has a wider field of view. When looking for a pair of binoculars, you should also find out if it is waterproof. This will allow you to use it even during harsh conditions since you are sure that it will not fog. This will also make it less likely that dirt or dust will ever damage the lens. Now that you know what to look for when buying a pair of binoculars, the only thing to do now is check out what is available. There are many brands of binoculars in the market. While some of these are affordable, there are other which are quite expensive so it all boils down to how much you are willing to spend for it.
Why You Should Love Birding
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If you have found a certain item that is within your budget, pick it up so you can get a feel of it. If the binoculars is just right and you will not have a hard time carrying it, then you should already pick this one and then bring it with you on your next bird watching field trip. Bird watching will be much easier when you have a pair of binoculars because without it, you will have a hard time seeing the birds when they will mostly likely fly off if you get too near. Some of the brands to choose from include Bushnell, Nikon, Pentax, Swarovski and Zeiss so be sure to get one that is good value for your money. For people who don’t want to carry a pair of binoculars when they go bird watching, they can use a rifle scope. It is smaller than the binoculars and only has one lens which is just as good as long as you followed the same guidelines listed above.
BEST RECOMMENDATIONS
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WHY YOU NEED VEST FOR BIRD WATCHING
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HEN BIRD WATCHING, IT WILL BE HOURS BEFORE YOU CALL IT A
day and go home. Instead of putting everything you need in a backpack, you can have a few items with you especially when you are wearing a vest. The bird watching vest has a lot of pockets. In total, there are about 20 pockets of different sizes! You can use the upper pockets to hold the lens cap, pair of sunglasses or a small pencil. 18
Why You Need Vest For Bird Watching
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On the other hand, you can use the lower pockets to hold your bird book, binoculars, camera and a few other small items. One of the features of the bird watching vest is due to its lightweight material specifically cotton and the mesh lining allows for free air movement around your body. As a result, you will not feel any discomfort wearing it for hours because of the ventilation on both sides. This makes it ideal during hot weather and at the same time cold weather since you can expand the straps and wear this over even the bulkiest coat. The bird watching vest comes in different sizes. The smallest one is good for someone’s who’s chest size is between 34 to 38 inches while the biggest can fit someone who has a chest size between 55 and 56 inches. Some shops offer custom made orders so you have to wait at least a week or two before this can be made. Bird watching vests also come in different colors so if you want to get close to the birds without being detected, make sure the color you choose should blend in with the surroundings. The more common colors for bird watchers are green, khaki and olive. If you think this is different than what people use when they go hunting or fishing, think again because this is also what they use. Its only limitation is that should it rain, the bird watching vest is neither waterproof nor water resistant so you better have a jacket or umbrella to keep yourself dry until the weather improves if there is no shade around. You can buy your very own bird watching vest in the sporting goods store or online.
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BIRD WATCHING GUIDE
These usually sell for less than $100 and these are also machine-washable making it easily to clean. If you don’t want to wash it yet, you can just hang this behind the door and put it on the next time you plan to go out again. Aside from brand news from the sporting goods store or online, you can also try looking at surplus vests which are much cheaper. These cost less than $10 each which isn’t bad because you will be using it the same way like you would a brand new one. You should know by now that not all the bird species are confined to where you reside. This means that you will see other birds in other states and even other countries. So when you are packing your things, don’t forget to bring along your bird watching vest. This together with other items like your pair of binoculars, notebook, mosquito repellent and even camera will make your bird watching field trip just as good as the previous one. So get everything together and have some fun!