Tips For Bird Watching
Bird watching is an activity that requires a lot of patience, silence and concentration. It can be a great option for a country or forest vacation! In this article we give you some tips to make successful sightings.
Tips for bird watching
We see and hear them when we are in a park, in a tree in front of our house or when we go on vacation. Birds have become accustomed to contact with man and are not afraid of ‘showing up’ anywhere.
But bird watching is something else entirely. It is an activity that requires a lot of concentration and, above all, silence and patience. We recommend that you choose a natural destination for your first experience and that you pay attention to the following tips:
1. Go accompanied by a guide
This does not mean that you have to hire a professional, but perhaps for the first time you go sighting, you should go with people with some experience. Even a park ranger or tour guide can help you.
If you go ‘free’ you will miss a lot of things. Birdwatching is not only about putting yourself in a place with binoculars, but it is also about knowing about their habits and where their nests are … You will be able to learn how to admire them without disturbing them or modifying their routine and, above all, you will have a planning based on the local species and the trails to follow.
2. Maintain harmony with nature
To watch birds it is essential to be calm and relaxed. In addition, it is key to be in tune with what surrounds us. That doesn’t mean buying camo clothing or the most expensive gear… just closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and enjoying yourself.
Besides seeing birds, he also takes the opportunity to observe butterflies, insects, plants, trees, mountains and rivers. The idea is that the experience is total. Don’t get ‘pigeonholed’ into wanting to see only a toucan, a macaw or a hummingbird. Enjoy the whole landscape!
3. Get some good binoculars
Perhaps, the first time you go birdwatching, you don’t have a very professional team, since you don’t know if you will continue doing this activity in the future. Maybe you can borrow someone’s binoculars before you go out.
But be careful, because you shouldn’t be looking through them all the time. It is also worth ‘missing’ a close-up to enjoy the whole set. This advice also applies to those who carry cameras. Life is more than just what is seen through a lens.
4. Choose the best times for the sighting
When we go on a safari in Africa they tell us to get up before dawn to see the animals in action. In the case of bird watching, this is not exactly the case. Although it is true that after dawn many leave their nests to look for food, there are also others that stay a while longer.
This can vary depending on the time of year or the ambient temperature. In general terms, we could say that the best hours to see birds in a national park or natural area are between 06:00 and 10:00, and between 16:00 and 19:00. Avoid midday, especially if it is too hot.
5. Be patient
We could say that this is the number one rule when bird watching. Keep in mind that animals do not follow our schedules or are there to meet our expectations, much less to please us. We are the visitors and, therefore, we must be patient and respectful.
Sometimes the birds appear as soon as we arrive, but at other times we may even need hours for a good sighting. Do not despair, be silent and take the opportunity to connect with nature … Surely you don’t do it every day!
