What is Birdwatching and how do I become a Budding Birdwatcher?

Birdwatching is a vast and broad subject, with no limits of how far or little you can pursue it. That said, from an outsider peering in, it can appear a daunting hobby. Trying to learn the differences between hundreds of species, numerous moults, plumages and immature stages. There's so much to know you could make a career out of it, and indeed, many people have. There is, of course, no lower limit for birdwatching, if you enjoy seeing the Robins in your garden, then that qualifies you as a birdwatcher to me! However, for many of us, that is not enough, and there is a drive to be able to identify more species, whether to learn about them or just the enjoyment of knowing what you have seen. Therefore, in this article, I will try and list some tips on how to improve your identification skills and get even more out of birdwatching.

The first tip to being a better birdwatcher is to bird watch more! This is pretty obvious really, after all, the more experience you gain, the better at something you become. For birdwatching this is especially true, as seeing birds in the field is very different from viewing them in a book. Whilst you can view birds in great detail as they stand still on the beach, or perch on a branch, I find this a rarity in encounters. More often, they are flying past at great speed, diving into the waves or hidden away in the treetops. Bird identification is really a combination of a multitude of factors, but familiarity with the target species goes a long way in assisting with that. So by going out, not only are you encountering new species that you will start to learn about, but you are also building up confidence with the species you already know. After all, the first step to identifying a new species is knowing its not a species that you already know!

Joining local bird outings can be a great way to learn from others!

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of improving your birdwatching is the equipment you use. Not only can this allow you to actively see more birds, but provide a wealth of knowledge from which you can draw upon. Though when I say equipment, what do I mean? Like all aspects of birdwatching, there is a wide range of equipment to be used, from the naked eye up to long-distance telescopes and fancy high tech cameras. I would say there are two key components for birdwatching though; the field guide, and the binoculars.

Field guides are the core of your learning ability when it comes to bird identification, as they will be your first port of call when looking up a new species. From detailing the main features, calls and even likely habitats, field guides contain a wealth of information that varies from book to book. What you have can often be down to availability, cost, or even personal choice, but if I had to recommend one it would be Collins. Detailing European species it offers all the aforementioned information, along with several great pictures for each species, all without ending up too bulky. Local pocket guides can also be great, offering instant access to common species and easily fitting into a coat pocket.

Perhaps the iconic tool of birdwatching, binoculars are a staple for once you start heading out and about. Such is the wary nature of birds that we can never get to close, and so binoculars allow us to observe without causing a disturbance, and to those that do come in close, see in great detail. Much like with field guides there is a huge variety, with massive ranges in size and optical magnification (and price!). I can't offer much wisdom when it comes to purchasing binoculars, having only purchased one set, which I've had for the last 5 years or so. However, I would recommend trying out binoculars before you buy them, as whilst written reviews can tell you all sorts of useful numbers, how they feel in hand is most important and can heavily influence your decision.

The Birdwatchers essentials, or mine at least!

From there you can look at spotting scopes (telescopes), tripods and even cameras. All of these are great tools for assisting in birdwatching, enhancing the experience in different ways. For a beginner or even intermediate birdwatcher however, they are by no means necessary, and should only supplement your current equipment. The combination of cameras tripod and scope can result in some great picture opportunities, but certainly, for myself, the price barrier is just a bit too high, and I enjoy the hobby well enough with my trusty binoculars.

The last tools I would recommend are the humble pen and paper. Being able to record what you see, from species to the features of an unknown bird, is an often overlooked part of birdwatching. As often is the case for me, I don't bring my field guide (or even my binoculars) when I go out. However, I always have a pen and paper, and so when I see something I am able to jot down its features; general shape and colour, its behaviour, habitat, and anything else that might help distinguish it. It's amazing how these simple bits of information can help you to later identify birds when you get your hands on your bird guide.

Just like people, birds all have their own quirks and characteristics

The very final aspect of improving your birdwatching is knowing that not all birds need to be identified upon sight. Whilst visual clues are perhaps the easiest to determine a species, both its call and behaviour can be indicative of the species. Now to some calls can seem like 1000 similar sounds (indeed, bird calls is what I struggle with the most). However, I would bet that most people can instinctively recognise the cry of a Herring Gull and Oystercatcher, simply because we hear them so often. So when it comes to bird calls, focus on a few common species that you know you will encounter. Get used to listening to their calls, and you will slowly start to pick them up. From there you will start to notice unfamiliar calls, and so from writing them down, looking them up, you will learn new birds that way.

Behaviour is something that can be unique to species, such as Snipe, which will fly directly upwards when disturbed. Whilst these things will be mentioned in field guides, it's the kind of knowledge you gain from having watched the species extensively. Such knowledge can be a godsend and allows you to identify some species from the merest of glances.

Once again I seem to have overdone it with these articles, but I hope you found some part of it useful. Birdwatching is a great past time and can be enjoyed no matter the age or experience, and for me, there is no better part than noticing my own improvement as a bird watcher, so I hope you can all experience that too. 

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]