A Beginner's Guide to Bird Watching

My first actual trip bird watching was not a voluntary trip but a mandatory class trip as part of my biology core. That first trip out had me walking through a local forest preserve at 8 am in the morning at the beginning of March when there was still snow on the ground. I don't think I even feigned interest in the birds my professor pointed out instead I focused all my energy on keeping warm. The follow up trip though was different, it was warmer out and the redwing blackbirds we were supposed to be observing were everywhere. I was able to concentrate on the task at hand and even though these birds looked and sounded nothing like the amazing species I had observed weeks earlier in Costa Rica they still had a beauty of their own.

The summer following those initial outings I noticed the diversity of the bird species in my neighborhood, something I had never noticed before. But spring and summer are not the only times you can enjoy bird watching if you live up North. Fall is also a great time because so many birds are making their migratory trips down South and may stop in your neighborhood on the way down. So no matter where you live bird watching is something you can do either as a passing observer (as I am) or a nature lover looking for a new hobby.

What You Need

If you want to seriously get into bird watching it is a good idea to take along a field guide on birds. I used Peterson's Field Guides because they have illustrations of both sexes and the best descriptions. Try to get one that focuses on birds found in your area. Once that is done you might want to buy a pair of binoculars, these are not necessary but definitely helpful when the bird you notice decides to move to a branch further down the path. For bird watching the best binoculars are those with a power of 7x or 8x. If you want to keep track of the birds you come across don't forget to bring along a small notebook.

Where to Go

Sometimes the best bird watching can be done right in your backyard, especially during the migration period. Other great places to try are local parks, forest preserves and anywhere near a body of water. These are all places where birds will frequent because they provide the resources necessary for survival.

Resources

The National Bird Feeding Society is a website full of tips and ideas to make your backyard a bird friendly zone. At What Bird you can use their bird identification search engine to identify a bird that is not found in your field guide. My favorite site of all is the National Audubon Society where you can find local bird watching events and groups. They also have information on registering the birds you identify in your backyard during the migratory period.