View of rocks from bird watching hide. - (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Idea
If you are interested to know how a person starts to become an avid bird watcher, first, they have the love for nature and curiosity about birds that they would go out of their way to be able to see some and then see some more until the hobby becomes a passion.
A person can start on his own backyard, observing the birds that fly through their vicinity. Then they could start feeding the birds so that the latter would stay longer within near distance. The idea of bird feeders and bird baths start from this same cycle. To protect the welfare of the birds, trees are planted as well as shrubs and also provide for nesting areas.
Not hooked yet? You can also watch the birds near you, whether on the road or a busy street. Just be mindful of your own safety when performing such a task.
The Optics
Now that you already have the habit, you can look into the available optics in the market to see the birds more clearly and to make your observation gearing towards the scientific route.
Binoculars are usually the first gear that birders invest on. The more expensive ones, of course, are better. Usually, those come with thicker glass, better vision, coatings, precise configuration and alignment and easy to navigate controls.
Although with so many types available in the market these days, you might find yourself confused about what can be a good purchase. If trapped in this dilemma, all you got to do is ask. Ask the people who've already been doing the hobby for longer periods than you do or if you can't find somebody, search the Web. The Web actually has all the information you need to know about birding and bird watching and the gears and optics that you must have in order to become successful with the venture.
Look closely at the features of the binocular before purchasing one. Choose the right weight by holding such. Remember that when you already have to such it, you have to hold it most of the time for it to serve its function. Also, try to see through it when you are still in the store to know if it is the perfect fit for your eyes. Look at the lenses closely, navigate through the control. You could also ask what are the accessories available to see your options. This way, birding would be much easier and fun now that you have a gadget with you.
The scopes are for the advanced users. This is bought along with a tripod. The idea for the proper placing of such develops the more frequent you use it. The lenses would be your utmost concern when it comes to this. Inspect those before you buy one.
There's a lot of other optics available that you could try once you've mastered the use of binoculars and scopes. It varies from night vision, infrared, illuminating appeal, tools to photograph or record the observation on video among many other choices.
The best bird watching optics is there to help you find the right view, the right angle. When you are already geared up with such, all you need to be mindful about is where you could find the right spot.