How to Prepare for Your First Birdwatching Trip
By Space Coast Daily // October 6, 2019
If watching birds in their natural habitat is the ideal way for you to spend your spare time, join thousands of other enthusiasts all around the world and prepare special bird watching events, and even international trips.
No matter if you’re a beginner or a professional bird watcher, meeting other people who share the same passion will help you improve your knowledge about these creatures, exchange valuable insights, and make new friends.
So, if you’re ready to embark on your first bird watching trip ever, here are some easy tips you should follow.
Find the right place
Before preparing for an international trip to Europe or North Africa to study some exotic species of birds, you should know that there are thousands of exceptional places closer to home, in the United States.
Texas, Florida, California, and New Mexico are the home of many beautiful birds, including sparrows, flamingos, short-tailed hawks, Northern cardinals, snail kites, gray kingbirds, killdeer, ring-billed gulls, and red-tailed hawks.
All major national parks and nature reserves count for thousands of birds, animals, and plants species. Add majestic mountain peaks and crystal-clear waters, and you’ll get breathtaking places perfect for camping, stargazing, and bird watching.
Choose a strategic spot
After you have decided on the right place for your new outdoor experience, you’ll have to choose a strategic spot to see different bird species. Keep your distance and don’t make a sound to not scare the birds away.
The best time of the day to observe wildlife is early in the morning, so make sure you are already familiar with the area and the places where you’re most likely to see bird colonies.
Bring your gear with you
Buying a titan pocket scope might be your number one priority when going on a bird-watching trip but you should also pay attention to other brands and monoculars.
Apart from your choice of wildlife observing tools, consider investing in a good camera to satisfy your passion for cool photos. Spending one day in the wild will give you endless opportunities to capture the birds’ daily habits and routines.
We guarantee you will see birds from an entirely different angle, with all their goofiness and fun moments.
Don’t forget about a comfortable harness to attach your binoculars or monocular for when you need both your hands free.
The right clothing
Bird watching is an activity you can enjoy almost all year-round, from early spring to late fall, and even the beginning of winter. But, no matter the season, you need to always wear the proper clothing and accessories to ensure you stay cool, dry, and comfortable throughout your trip.
Since you will be heading to the birdwatching spot early in the morning, bring warmer clothes with you, even if it’s the beginning of summer. A light raincoat with a hood will keep you dry even when the weather is fussy.
You should also pay attention to the color scheme of your wardrobe. Stick to earth-like and camouflage colors like sand, army green, brown, and beige to blend in with the rest of the environment and not scare away the birds.
Avoid flashy colors like purple, red, orange or yellow, and even black if you’re going bird watching in the summer.
Comfort and freedom of movement should be the most important criteria on which you pick your outfit as you will be spending many hours in uncomfortable positions observing the birds.
Add a hat to protect your head from harmful sun rays, and a pair of comfortable, waterproof shoes to keep your feet cool and dry.
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