Bird watching just may be both one of the world’s easiest and most difficult hobbies. This seemingly contradictory statement can be explained because bird watching may be pursued at many different levels, from the most simple to the most complicated.
One can be a bird watcher, also known as a birder, by looking out a window and observing the various winged creatures that may be passing by or hopping past. On the opposite end of the scale, one may purchase the most costly, high-powered telescope and portable tripod and fly around the globe in search of some of nature’s most marvelous and colorful feathered creatures.
Although, for most bird watchers, the purpose for their hobby is to gain knowledge about nature, some people have used the observation of avian creatures as the starting point for vary serious scientific research. Perhaps the most famous example of this is Charles Darwin. He was a naturalist aboard a sailing ship, traveling to such far-away locations as Ecuador’s Galapagos Island. It was Darwin’s observation of different variety of finches that led to the development of his theory of natural selection.
It is likely that the two most important tools for a would-be bird watcher are identification reference guides and visual aids. A trip to a local public library is a good way to borrow a reference guide. Some of the most popular and widely-used books for birders are those published by the Audubon Society. Binoculars and telescopes are the two choices for making it easier to see far-away birds. Binoculars offer the advantages of being less costly, more portable and more compact in size, but a telescope is the first choice for the very serious bird watcher, as their magnification is usually superior, and, when mounted on a secure tripod, the image is less shaky and easier to see.
Although birds are easiest to see in the winter and early spring when there are no leaves on the trees, birding is usually more pleasant during warmer months. For this reason, it is equally important to be able to identify birds by sound as it is by sight.
Like any other hobby, the more one learns about a topic, the more interesting and fascinating it becomes. After just a few walks through nearby parks and other birding areas, one may be motivated to purchase or construct a feeding station and bring the birds to you.
That is the easiest kind of birding, when the birds come to you, rather than you having to go out and look for them.
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