Birdwatching for Beginners: A Fascinating Hobby

Intro to birdwatching and what is birdwatching for beginners?

Birdwatching sometimes called Birding is the hobby of watching the birds in their natural environment. There are a lot of people who love nature and spend their leisure time enjoying the natural environment. Birdwatching for beginners is really interesting if they know all the facts about birding. The one who loves birds is called ornithophile. He has a love for birds and nature, patience, and curiosity about them. It is a kind of hobby that is enjoyed by beginners to highly skilled people. Once you are involved in this activity, you will become an expert as time passes. It improves day by day and you learn the identifications of different birds.

What equipment do birdwatchers use?

The basics of birdwatching for beginners include many things and the most important is information about pieces of equipment that are used by bird lovers to make their hobby more interesting. These types of equipment enhance their ability to observe and identify the birds. The more interest in a hobby, the more interesting equipment is used. The most commonly used equipment are:

Binoculars

The most basic equipment or tool used for birdwatching is binoculars. It is used for watching the birds from a long distance. It gives a very clear view of the bird which makes its identification much easier. Binocular lenses with Magnification 8 x 42 or 10 X 42 are good choices that help to get a clear and closer look at the birds. So invest in this kind of binoculars helpful for beginners.

Field Guides

Many birdwatchers use field guides that have to identify the different species of birds.  Some of them use different apps that contain information about the nature and diverse species of birds found on this planet.  Field guides contain pictures of animals and plants which make the experience much better. You can also create your own field guides by creating the table of contents images or any other variable information. You can create it on paper or make a document on a computer or laptop.

Notebook and Pen

A notebook and pen are the most essential things for birdwatching for beginners to skill ones. They used notebooks and pens for different purposes.  They write different things like time, date, location, identification of birds their behaviors, sounds, etc on the notebook with the help of a pen. This record helps them to learn about the population of the birds in their area.

Spotting scopes

When the distance of the bird is very long then spotting scopes can be used. Sporting scopes are also called telescopes. It helps the birdwatchers to watch the words more clearly and identify them with more clarification. The magnification of sporting scopes is much higher than the binoculars. It is most useful to watch the rare species of birds.

Bird Calls

Some birdwatchers keep audio recordings of the birds’ sounds and calls that help them to identify the different birds and increase their understanding of the behaviors and sounds of different species.

Birding Apps

Some birdwatchers have a smartphone containing birding apps. These apps contain information about different species of birds their locations recordings sounds behaviors etc. It is very helpful for birdwatching experiences.

Where birdwatching can be done?

Birdwatching for beginners is very interesting but the most important thing is the place or location. Birdwatching can be done at different places like parks, on rooftops, hill stations, nature reserves, fields,ilds, or even in your own backyards.  Different locations can also contain different species of birds. Some birds are found in cold areas and others are found in deserts or plain areas. So every region of Earth contains different kinds of birds.

Suitable time for birding

Birds can be seen during the daytime.  From sunrise to sunset, birdwatchers can watch the birds and enjoy the birding. Very near to the sunrise and very close to the sunset, a large haul of birds can be seen flying in the sky. Bird lovers can enjoy the birding at this time. The light of the Sun helps them to identify different kinds of birds their features and looks etc

Season and Weather For Birdwatching

Birds can be seen all over the year. During the whole year, birdwatchers enjoy birding. But the two seasons are the most enjoyable time of the year. During these seasons many rare species can be seen flying in the sky. These two seasons are Spring and Fall. But do migration during these seasons. Large groups of birds migrate so they can be seen very easily. Calm weather is also the best time for birding because the sounds of birds are very clear during this time.

Birds Identification

Birding for beginners is more interesting if they know all the facts about the different identification factors of birds. Birds can be identified on the basis of different parts of their bodies. These include size, bill shape, length, color, head ( large or small),  throat, breast, wings ( bars present or absent), tail, back, rump, undertail color, eye ring, eye line, behavior ( wing flicking or tail bobbing), and habitat, etc.

Conclusion

Birdwatching for beginners is a joyful hobby, involving observing and appreciating birds in their natural habitat. Birding and Birdwatching are the same thing. Important equipment, including binoculars, field guides, notebooks, telescopes, and mobile apps, enhance the birding experience. Birdwatching locations, suitable times, location and weather, and identification factors fulfill the birdwatching journey. It provides a unique opportunity to connect with nature, and it’s driven by a deep love for birds, a sense of patience, and a curiosity about their behavior and characteristics. This activity develops a connection with nature and an ever-deepening love for birds.