central-coast-birding-birding-basics-how to begin birding-field-guides

Central Coast Birding - Birding Basics
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How to Begin Birding    Identification For Beginners
   *** Central Coast Birding Blog  ***
* Don't Worry About the Warblers            *Gulls Can Be Challenging
         * Little Brown Birds   * Test Your Birding ID Skills
* Have Camera Will Bird

How to Begin - A serious birder needs a good pair of binoculars. Shop around. Binoculars may be purchased in camera stores, sporting goods stores, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target, pawn shops, and sometimes really good deals can be found on line at     http://www.ebay.com/     Be sure your binoculars feel right. Is the focus easy to adjust? Think about the weight. When out birding they will be hanging around your neck for hours at a time. How do they feel? Believe me, weight is important. You may be birding in moist weather. Are they moisture resistant?   Is the strap comfortable? If you cannot buy, borrow a pair.
                                                           Field Guides
"National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America," or "Sibley Field Guide to Western North America," and/or "Sibley Field Guide to Eastern North America." All you need is one. Before buying, check out field guides in your local library or used book store. Keep in mind size and weight of your field guide, as it will accompany you on your birding adventures.

Read the introduction. Understand how to use your field guide. Birds are grouped by families. Note the differences between male, female, and immature. Refer to the book's range maps. It is helpful to know that you probably won't see a Wren-tit in New York's Central Park, but in birding there are exceptions to every rule - that is part of the challenge and the fun of birding. The exceptions are one of the fascinating aspects of birding. Sighting an uncommon bird is a thrill you will long remember.

                                                                                Family Activity
Involve the kids/grandkids. Give them a goal of finding a specific bird. Children are very alert to sound and movement. Since many children are closer to the ground than adults, they can often spot or hear a bird that an adult has overlooked. Children are natural born trackers and they really like using binoculars.

(Caution! Birders are known for counting and listing the birds they identify. Don't get overwhelmed by the paperwork. )

     Now to the Fun Stuff   - How to Begin Birding

1.   Start where you live, with a bird that is familiar. Find the location of the bird without using your binocs. Look for an identifying branch that will help you find the elusive little darling while your are peering through your binocs (if at first you don't succeed, try, try again).

2.   Look at the bird's size, overall shape, color, length of tail and size and shape of bill. Listen to the song and the sounds it makes.

3.   Where is the bird; what it is doing? What is it eating? How does it go about getting its food ? Does it feed on the ground, in the shrubbery, in the air? Everything it does is an indication as to its identity. For example, perhaps you see a bird sitting on a fence post and you notice it flies a short distance out and comes back to the same perch. You are more than likely observing the feeding behavior of a flycatcher. Most field guides give a description of a birds behavior. "The Birder's Handbook" by Ehrlich, Dobkin, & Wheye is an excellent resource for understanding bird behavior.

4.   Try to locate the bird in your field guide. The more you thumb through your guide, the more you will learn about identifying birds. "The Sibley Guide to Birds" is excellent at pointing out specific characteristics that will aid in identifying your current bird of interest.

5.   Where to Begin Birding - A good place to learn is in a park with trees and shrubbery, a botanic garden, or a native plant garden. Birds in public gardens are accustomed to people and tend to be less flighty and are much easier to observe. Lakes, shorelines, bays, inlets, ponds, fields, and wetlands are wonderful for birding, as migratory birds such as ducks, geese, & shore birds are either resting, bathing, or feeding, which gives the avid birder ample time to figure out an identification. (A sewage pond can be a birding paradise.)

6. Birding With Other Birders - In the beginning the easiest way to identify birds is from an experienced birder. Check out your local Audubon Society. Birders are friendly folks who enjoy sharing their knowledge. Try a guided bird walk.   In no time at all you will become an obsessed birder just like I am. Enjoy!!