Bird Watching - Advice For Your First Time Out

By Richard Chapo

Fall is a great time for bird watching. If you are going to give it a try for the first time, there are some guidelines you should follow to make sure you get the most out of it.

Avid birders are all about sightings and keeping a life list. A life list is simply a list of the birds you have personally seen over the years. Keeping a life list can become very addictive and more than a few people use their vacations to fly to odd parts of the world to see birds they need for their life list.

You should not worry about life lists nor should you worry about flipping through guide books to identify the birds you are seeing. It is your first time out, so just focus on the birds and take in their elegance and interesting activities. You can identify what they are later when you have time to reflect or the binoculars get a bit heavy.

The name "bird watching" is somewhat misleading because it suggests that one is only out there to view birds. An equally important part of your effort will be to listen to the little flappers. Each species has unique songs and sounds, so keep an ear out to see if you can notice the differences and match them to the particular birds you are seeing.

Take snack food and water. Bird watching is hardly a high calorie activity. That being said, you usually have to walk to and from the spot you will be viewing birds. Further, standing in the sun all day can lead to dehydration problems, so water should be consumed slowly throughout the day.

When you are watching birds, you will start to notice distinct areas of difference. The best areas to focus on are the body shape, the bill shape and the tail shape. The color of the birds is an obvious difference as well. By comparing and contrasting these four characteristics, you should be able to narrow down and identify the species you are seeing.

Perhaps the most important thing on your first birding trip is simply to enjoy yourself. The point is to have a good time, and the rest is just details. Have a great time!

Rick Chapo is with Nomad Journals - makers of life list journals that make great bird watching gifts.