The Essentials of Bird Watching

Photos By: Mitch Collins

Mitch and I have recently gotten into birding! We have always been outdoor enthusiasts, enjoying such activities as camping, hiking and kayaking! What can I say? It's in our nature! But this past year since we have received our new camera, we have had a ton of fun going out and taking pictures of various nature scenes and wildlife, but birds seem to be our favorite! While we were living in Florida, we had a variety of birds living in our very on own backyard! We have gotten some great pictures of some Barred Owls, Osprey, Red Shouldered Hawks and those rare tropical birds, known as Cardinals! But I must warn you, birding is serious business and you must be prepared! We are still very much entry level birders and are still learning as we go! Here are a few tips that we have learned along the way!

The most important thing to remember while you are out birding is to make sure you have all of your equipment! There have been many times where we have set out on a birding adventure and have forgotten one piece of equipment or another i.e, the camera or back up batteries or lunch! Binoculars are very important to have as well! You may not be able to see the reason now, but trust me! At some point in the distance you will understand! And just as a point of reference, I suggest you get a bird book! I have heard that you are not real birders, unless you have one! True story! Anyway, when birding, it is also essential to have a hat! Mitch and I are partial to the brand Tilley! I love these hats they are so cool! Oh right! They are also really durable and stuff! But the best part of this experience, my most prized possession, is my vest! I love it! You really don't need a vest to go out bird watching, but it kind of makes me feel like the Crocodile Hunter and I really wanted one!

So there it is! The essentials of bird watching! Everything you need to fully enjoy the bird watching experience! Well, almost everything! I suppose some birds would be helpful too!