This entry was posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 2:59 pm and is filed under Bird Watching. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 31, 2008
Did you know that birding is the number one sport in America? According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, there are currently 51.3 million birders in the United States alone, and this number continues to grow!
To begin birding, here are a few helpful ideas to get you off to a good start. First, you need binoculars to really see the birds. You need a field guide for your area with pictures of the birds and tips for identifying them. The best book for new birders in the United States is the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds or the Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds, When you become familiar with the birds in your area, you will want the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 3rd edition.
Learn about the habitat of each species of bird. Do they like to spend their time at the top of a tree or on the ground or on a lake? You should learn the songs of the birds. You will often hear it before you see it. Learn about the good birding spots in your area.
Join a group of other birders. You will find then very friendly and helpful and willing to share their knowledge. Start by calling the local Audubon Society, the Nature Center of Parks Commission, or the local Bird Club. If all else fails, go the park with your binocular. Someone is sure to strike up a conversation and they might lead you to a whole new group of birding buddies.
Try a birding trip or tour. Local bird trips are sometimes advertised in the newspapers. These are often led by park rangers or a local Audubon member. These trips are usually free of charge. When birding wear neutral colored clothing, not white.
Read about birds — there are many good magazines about birding. There are also thousands of books about birds.
Record your bird sightings. You might want to keep a list of the birds you see in your yard and you can keep a list of birds you see in your town or on your vacation. Birders often keep lists for their county, state or country. This is all very easy with a computer listing program such as the Birder’s Diary.
Have Fun and Enjoy the Birds!
August 4th, 2008 at 1:10 am
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Birding | Birds DunRite…
My mom and dad planned to go to the bird sanctuary and I wanted them to enjoy it so I thought that buying a binocular for them from this would make the trip more exciting. They really enjoyed the trip because they got to see the birds up close….