“You can get really great optics in the $100 to $200 range,” Stiteler says, adding that it’s good to visit a store and compare a few prior to purchase. While you don’t need a pair of bird watching binoculars to be a successful birder, they definitely make birding a whole lot easier. You simply download the app and take your smartphone along when you bird-watch.
Stiteler recommends “ Merlin” by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. For common species in your garden, “ Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards” might be more your speed.įor something on your mobile device, there are apps to identify birds as well. If you’re going the book route, check out “ National Geographic’s Complete Birds of North America” for a comprehensive guide to 1,000 different species. “A bird book can be very helpful, and I highly recommend everyone have one,” he says. You’ll be surprised by how many species you already recognize, even if you’ve never gone bird watching before. The best way to bird watch is to look and listen, because many birds have unique songs and calls, Merrit says. You also can try something like Morning Song Birdwatcher’s Blend Wild Bird Food, which not only has black oil sunflower seed, but also contains millet and safflower to deter squirrels.īecause birds also are attracted to water, providing a fountain or shallow birdbath where birds can bathe and drink from might make your yard an even more popular place, Stiteler says. Many types of birds hang out in backyards, especially if you have bird feeders, says Sharon Stiteler, founder of and the author of “1,001 Secrets Every Birder Should Know.”įill up the feeders with birdseed-Stiteler says black oil sunflower seed is a good overall choice-and then sit back and see how many different species show up. Walk outside your back door, or even peer out your back window. Here, from two longtime pros, is how to get started on your avian adventure. Whatever your goal, you’ll be rewarded by the sights and sounds of beautiful and interesting feathered creatures, especially come spring and fall. You can do it purely for fun or keep a life list-a birding term for the running list that bird enthusiasts keep of all the different birds they see. I know bike riders who bird while biking, at least by ear.”
“You can do it through your home or car window, while taking a rigorous hike, or anything in-between. “Birding is a totally accessible activity,” says says Rich Merritt, director of operations for Audubon New York, a nonprofit conservation organization that focuses on birds as well as other wildlife. Looking for a fun hobby you can do anywhere, anytime, without spending much cash up front? You can’t go wrong with birding, commonly known as bird watching.
Birdwatcher from Bedford Audubon Society.
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