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| Indigo Goodson took up birding during the pandemic and now goes everywhere with “binoculars in tow,” she said. “My friends get annoyed.” Kirsten Luce |
Let's start with the basics. Learn how to identify the most common birds near where you live.
For tips for beginners, The Times spoke with Ali Smith, project coordinator of Merlin, a bird identification app developed by the Cornell Institute for Ornithology, about learning about birds and how much fun it can be.
What are the best conditions for birding?
I'm a little biased here, so I recommend the Merlin Bird ID app. Here are her five questions to ask yourself when observing birds.
Merlin asks when and where he saw such a bird. There are many places where you can see different birds depending on the season.
After that, it is effective to observe the bird for a while. Small as a sparrow? Is it as big as a goose? Bird color is also helpful. Bright and yellow and colorful? Is it solid black?
And what are they doing? Visiting a bird feeder? The list of birds that may come to a bird feeder is relatively small compared to birds in other environments. Do you spend a lot of time in trees? Swimming in the water?
Putting all this together, Merlin offers a list of likely birds. But even if you're not using Merlin, you should be looking for information like size, color, behavior, location, date, and more.
What equipment do I need to start birdwatching?
Binoculars, field guides, cameras, or travel may help you spot more birds or see them up close. But nothing is needed.
What is a bird watcher called?
Birds are generally quietest during the hottest part of the day, so if you go birding between 6 am and 10 am, you're likely to see more birds. I have. As the weather warms, the birds begin to quiet down. They hide in the shade too. However, if you can only go out during the day, try a waterfront or other area where birds tend to congregate. And it might be nice at night too. Birds are most active 2-3 hours before sunset.
What do you enjoy about birdwatching?
I truly feel that I can share with my neighbors, my world, little winged spheres of energy that can jump and sing beautiful songs and do crazy wonderful things like weaving grass nests. I am here. I am happy. Drops shiny feathers. Each bird is its little treasure. It's also fun to observe birds such as grackles and sparrows that are common around here. they are stupid
Encountering rare birds is also exceptional. Seeing these little birds that can fly from the southern tip of South America to Canada, Alaska, and even the Arctic for breeding is so inspiring. And they do it twice a year. can't believe it. They are small, but they have a very strong will and strength.
