Indicator Birding cc

See also:

Introduction to birding - why do we do it?
Starting out - 6 Tips to get you going
Up and going? 10 Ways to improve your birding
Choosing birding binoculars.
Beginners Bird Identification Courses

Introduction

1. Invest in good binoculars. Being able to really see birds well and without eye-strain is the first building block to the enjoyment of birding. Really cheap and compact binoculars with a small exit pupil (the lense closer to the eye) are difficult to use - especially for beginners! (Many beginners are very disheartened because they cannot see the birds everyone else is looking at, often because they are the ones using the poorest quality binoculars) Take a look at this guide to Binoculars: An excellent web-site to get a handle on birding binoculars is http://betterviewdesired.com/
   
   
2. Buy a field-guide and read it before going out to bird. Basic familiarity with different groups of birds, and some of the common birds you are likely to see is essential before you go out. Recommended guides are: Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (3rd Edition) and the Roberts Guide to Birds (1st Edition) (some compact guides have only a selection of a few birds, which is usually inadequate in practice for anyone wanting to get serious about birding!)
   
   
3. Take notes of what you see. The much neglected art of note-taking is very valuable in getting you to really look at a bird and take note of its features, which will ensure that you progress in leaps and bounds! When you see a bird you should first take careful note of what you are seeing and only consult the field guide later - after you have studied the bird in depth. You may want to use one of the BIRD ID Templates to get started.
   
   
4. 4. Learn from other birders. Go birding with more experienced birders, join a bird club or take part in a birding course or event. This is the fastest way to learn! (beginner birders often spend months struggling on their own, only to have their illusions shattered in a few minutes of birding with experienced birders!). To join our beginners or intermediate birding events visit
   
   
5. 5. Go out birding as often as you can. Spend time looking at the birds around you. This can be where you live or at a local birding spot near where you live. Take note of the changes in the birds seen, and get to know them as well as you can. If you go birding at one spot throughout the year, and take note of the changes in the birds around Time spent , this is a very rewarding way to get into the fascinating life of the globe's ultimate travelers! For Gauteng based readers the Chamberlain Guide to Birding Gauteng offers a host of suggestions.
   
   
6. 6. Exercise your birding muscles ! What are birding muscles you may ask? These are the senses that you use to listen to, look at, find, understand, get a better look at the birds around you. The two most important birding senses are hearing and vision, and just as you go to the gymn to work out your cardiovascular system or tone your glutes, you cannot expect vision and ears to work well if you never train them!

• Introduction to birding - why do we do it?
• Starting out - 6 Tips to get you going
• Up and going? 10 Ways to improve your birding
• Choosing birding binoculars.
• Beginners Bird Identification Courses
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