5 Tips for Successful Bird Watching

5 Tips for Successful Bird Watchingbenefits in wildlife viewing. For instance, image
Chuck Fitzgerald ©2004. All Rights Reserved.stabilization will keep your view from shaking-very
Can you name the number one spectator sport inimportant when watching from a long distance. Other
North America? It's not baseball, figure skating orcool features include anti-fogging, low-light viewing
racing. It's bird watching. That's right, more people areand wide-view characteristics. Additionally, binoculars
watching birds than football and hockey combined.with built-in digital cameras enable you to identify
With so many people hoping to see a bird they'vebirds once you get home. These benefits will
never seen before, it's not surprising to see adefinitely enhance your bird watching. A great pair of
clamoring for the latest tips and tools to get the jobbinoculars will turn a mediocre experience into a great
done. Here are my top five tips for getting the mostone. You can count on it!
out of your birding experience.#4. Practice Before You Go. A key to viewing
#1. Get to Where the Birds Are! This sounds obvious,wildlife, and especially birds, is to have the ability to
but many birders spend the majority of their birdvery quickly put your binoculars on target. Many
watching time and energy on poor locations. Somepeople have difficulty finding a full moon in a pair of
folk have the advantage of looking out of theirbinoculars-but alas-learning to focus on a bird in a
windows into the back yard to observe nature's best.bush or track a bird in flight is easy for someone
The rest of us need to get moving. I would highlywho has practiced prior to their outing. Try this
recommend visiting a National Wildlife Refuge. Therebefore you go; lower your binoculars to your side
are over 500 of them across the United States. Toand very quickly raise them to find and follow a jet
find one near you, visitairliner across the sky. After only a few attempts,
#2. Know What Species to Expect. There areyou'll get good at quickly acquiring your target. Quite
approximately 900 species of birds in the Unitedoften, birds are visible for only a few seconds,
States and recognizing each of them is nearlypractice to become proficient.
impossible. So when you visit an area, do a little#5. Take Someone with You. Life is always better
research first. You may find that perhaps only a fewwhen shared. Not only do you get to spend time out
species actually inhabit that particular area. With aof doors with someone you like, but they might alert
little preparation, you will be able to more readilyyou to the "Number One Sight of the Day." Share
identify bird species from each other. Keep a list ofyour birding experiences with your friends and family.
successfully viewed species - we'll call this tip numberPass the birding excitement to a child.
two and a half.The best part about wildlife viewing is that you the
#3. Get a Great Pair of Binoculars. Spending time andviewer, control almost every aspect of the
money to get to the right place can be totallyexperience. The more you are prepared, the more
wasted when your binoculars are inadequate. If yourewarding your time in our backcountry will be. Follow
have an inexpensive pair of binoculars you are notthese 5 simple tips to get the most out of birding.
getting the most out of your viewing. Today'sGet Outdoors!
technologies come at a price and they provide crucial