By Ken Marlborough
While pursuing the hobby of birding and bird watching, it is very important to invest in a good pair of binoculars and, of course, a good bird book. A bird book is one of the most important things for a bird enthusiast has to have at all times.
A bird book, referred to as a field guide, is the basic reference book of birding. It is usually a little book, but it contains an abundance of information about birds. There are descriptions and pictures of different birds; the book even tells you what specific details one has to look for while bird watching. It tells you the different colors of birds, special characteristics of birds that help you distinguish among birds and also the specific habitat they can be found in. In fact, it can be considered as the next best thing to a friendly expert birder at your side!
Bird books are found regionally, which means that a particular area may have bird books that cater to the birds found only in that area. Usually, it is okay to start with only one bird book, but soon you may feel that you have to have more than one field guide. This need arises mainly because no one book actually contains all the information of all birds in an area. The information found in one book may not be available in another book. And, while you have two or more books handy, it would be wise to compare the different illustrations and descriptions of the same bird from both books. In this way, you may learn how to locate the bird from different vantage points! Then, you will be ready when you do unexpectedly encounter the bird you were waiting for!
Birds provides detailed information on Birds, Bird Feeders, Bird Baths, Bird Houses and more. Birds is affiliated with Aquarium Lights.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Marlborough
For birdwatching products go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Showing posts with label birdwatching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birdwatching. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Birdwatching - Connecting Kids to Nature!
By Shari Carpenter
What child hasn't been delighted to see his first bird up close?
Maybe it was a humble sparrow or a squawking seagull -- whatever they are, birds are a natural delight to watch and can be seen anywhere in the world.
If you are looking for an activity that you can enjoy with your children, whether they're five or 15, you might want to consider the popular hobby of bird watching. It is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in America -- and a great way for families to enjoy time together.
What IS Bird Watching?
Bird watching is more than just observing birds. It is an interest in the actual birds -- their names, markings, activities, songs and habitats. Not only does it encourage a child (or an adult) to learn about birds, but gets them outside and builds an appreciation of local wildlife and nature.
Bird watching doesn't require a strong knowledge of birds; you can learn with your children as you begin to locate and identify local wild birds. Keep a list of the birds you've spotted and help one another identify what you've seen by making notes of the color, size and markings on the bird. You may even start to learn their calls and challenge yourself to identify the birds by their songs.
Where Can You Go to Bird Watch?
Bird watching can be as simple an activity as setting up a bird feeder in your backyard and watching the local wild birds that come to you. However, your children will no doubt appreciate time spent outdoors, properly geared up for an outing of bird watching with you.
You will soon learn about the specific habitats that birds live in around your home. As you become familiar with local birds you may even want to take trips to areas that will feature different species than you have locally. Watch as your children eagerly try to identify these new birds before you do!
What Do You Need?
Bird watching is a very inexpensive hobby. If you are going to be outside you will want everyone to have proper attire -- including an extra pair of socks and a hat.
Other than that you will need at least one pair of binoculars, although it is more fun if everyone has their own pair so nobody misses out on a sighting. There are special binoculars for kids.
You'll also want a bird book (called a field guide) to help you identify the birds you see. If you take along one that features birds in your area it will also give you suggestions about where you can find them.
If your children are older, or you catch the bird watching bug, be sure to take along a notepad and camera. Make notes on birds you can't identify and look them up at home with your children to determine what you saw. You might also develop a list of local birds and check them off as you see them. This is great for kids who thrive on challenge!
Don't miss out -- watch birds in your backyard daily. Just put up a feeder to get started. But if you really want to attract birds add a bird bath. You and your kids will have even more fun if you put up a birdhouse (nestbox) to watch a new family of baby birds being raised.
Bird watching is a fantastic hobby that the whole family can enjoy. Try it one afternoon and see for yourself how your family bonds while enjoying the fresh air, local scenery and most of all ... the natural world!
Permission is granted to reprint full article "as is" with author credit as given below and a link back to http://www.birdwatchin.com/ There are no private label resale rights available and the article cannot be modified or your name assigned to it.
Shari Carpenter is the owner of http://www.birdwatchin.com/, a one-stop resource for people that love birdwatching, bird feeding and pet birds. http://www.birdwatchin.com/ covers a wide range of information, products and supplies, including the blog "Birdwatchin' Buzz Today!" It is also the place to subscribe to "David's Wild Bird Club" Newsletter.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shari_Carpenter
For birdwatching ideas go to htp://digitalmomento-n-more.com
What child hasn't been delighted to see his first bird up close?
Maybe it was a humble sparrow or a squawking seagull -- whatever they are, birds are a natural delight to watch and can be seen anywhere in the world.
If you are looking for an activity that you can enjoy with your children, whether they're five or 15, you might want to consider the popular hobby of bird watching. It is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in America -- and a great way for families to enjoy time together.
What IS Bird Watching?
Bird watching is more than just observing birds. It is an interest in the actual birds -- their names, markings, activities, songs and habitats. Not only does it encourage a child (or an adult) to learn about birds, but gets them outside and builds an appreciation of local wildlife and nature.
Bird watching doesn't require a strong knowledge of birds; you can learn with your children as you begin to locate and identify local wild birds. Keep a list of the birds you've spotted and help one another identify what you've seen by making notes of the color, size and markings on the bird. You may even start to learn their calls and challenge yourself to identify the birds by their songs.
Where Can You Go to Bird Watch?
Bird watching can be as simple an activity as setting up a bird feeder in your backyard and watching the local wild birds that come to you. However, your children will no doubt appreciate time spent outdoors, properly geared up for an outing of bird watching with you.
You will soon learn about the specific habitats that birds live in around your home. As you become familiar with local birds you may even want to take trips to areas that will feature different species than you have locally. Watch as your children eagerly try to identify these new birds before you do!
What Do You Need?
Bird watching is a very inexpensive hobby. If you are going to be outside you will want everyone to have proper attire -- including an extra pair of socks and a hat.
Other than that you will need at least one pair of binoculars, although it is more fun if everyone has their own pair so nobody misses out on a sighting. There are special binoculars for kids.
You'll also want a bird book (called a field guide) to help you identify the birds you see. If you take along one that features birds in your area it will also give you suggestions about where you can find them.
If your children are older, or you catch the bird watching bug, be sure to take along a notepad and camera. Make notes on birds you can't identify and look them up at home with your children to determine what you saw. You might also develop a list of local birds and check them off as you see them. This is great for kids who thrive on challenge!
Don't miss out -- watch birds in your backyard daily. Just put up a feeder to get started. But if you really want to attract birds add a bird bath. You and your kids will have even more fun if you put up a birdhouse (nestbox) to watch a new family of baby birds being raised.
Bird watching is a fantastic hobby that the whole family can enjoy. Try it one afternoon and see for yourself how your family bonds while enjoying the fresh air, local scenery and most of all ... the natural world!
Permission is granted to reprint full article "as is" with author credit as given below and a link back to http://www.birdwatchin.com/ There are no private label resale rights available and the article cannot be modified or your name assigned to it.
Shari Carpenter is the owner of http://www.birdwatchin.com/, a one-stop resource for people that love birdwatching, bird feeding and pet birds. http://www.birdwatchin.com/ covers a wide range of information, products and supplies, including the blog "Birdwatchin' Buzz Today!" It is also the place to subscribe to "David's Wild Bird Club" Newsletter.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shari_Carpenter
For birdwatching ideas go to htp://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Monday, June 22, 2009
Feeding Wild Birds Year Round - Is This a Good Idea?
By Larry A Jordan
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approximately 54 million residents of the United States feed wild birds at backyard feeders. This is important due to the fact that our environment has changed drastically over the last fifty years. Not only do wild birds have to deal with loss of habitat, they must also compete with birds like starlings and house sparrows that are not native to North America.
Feeders provide a supplement to natural food supplies for wild birds. Rarely do they comprise the bulk of their diet. In general, wild birds depend on foods they find away from bird feeders and they find them with incredible efficiency. If all supplemental feeding stopped overnight, there would probably not even be a noticeable decline in bird populations and the joy of introducing children and adults to bird watching is reason enough to attract wild birds to backyard feeders. There are several good reasons to feed wild birds year round.
Early spring is an important season to feed wild birds because most of their preferred natural foods have been consumed during the winter. Backyard food supplies along with fresh water are especially attractive to migrating birds because of the incredible amount of energy needed for their migration. Your supplemental feeding station will provide useful refueling stations for these birds. If other requirements exist in your backyard, the availability of a constant supply of food and water may entice nesting birds to breed on your property. An ample food supply is necessary for birds to attain breeding condition.
Summer is the season of greatest natural food supply for wild birds but it is also the time of their greatest need. With a nest of rapidly growing young, the parent birds must feed themselves and their offspring. During this rapid growth phase of young birds they need high protein diets. This is why most birds feed their young a diet of mostly insects. A suet feeder containing a mixture of one part peanut butter, four parts corn meal, one part flour and one part vegetable shortening will help supply the parent birds and their young the protein they need. Mealworms are also an excellent source of protein during this time.
Summer feeding can also attract fruit eating birds as well as seed and insect eating species. Overripe fruits and bananas are favorites. You can cut fruit open showing the inside and put them on trays or feeding spikes. This is also the season for feeding nectar eating birds. According to the Audubon Society, at least 53 bird species in North America are known to visit sugar water feeders. They consume the same sugar solution as the hummingbirds do.
Even though natural foods such as fruits and insects are abundant in the fall, this is also a season of great food demand. Bird populations are at high levels due to their new crop of fledglings. A protein rich diet of insects is important as most birds replace all of their feathers before migrating. These migratory birds must also put on ample fat to power their long migrations.
Sunflower seed and Nyjer seed are both oil-rich seeds that will help birds increase their body fat. Also by feeding birds in early fall you may have a better chance of seeing fall migrants.
Winter is the most difficult season for birds living in the north. The cold weather and short days mean they need more food and have less time to forage for it. At the same time natural food sources are scarce. During this time of year supplemental feeding is most useful to wild bird populations. Both seed and suet should be provided during the winter months along with fresh water.
My strong advice is to keep your bird feeders full all year. You will be helping many wild birds on their migratory flights and supporting the resident birds in your area as well.
Larry Jordan has been bird watching for many years and building birdhouses for over 26 years. He is a member of the Audubon Society and is the Shasta County Coordinator for the California Bluebird Recovery Program. He strives to get more people interested in birding activities, including bird conservation.
For more information on bird watching, bird houses, feeding wild birds, birds in the news, bird conservation, and some great bird photos go to The Birder's Report and sign up for his newsletter or his RSS Feed.
If you are looking for quality bird and birding products, please visit his online store at Birds In My Yard for some great deals and great service.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_A_Jordan
For more interesting ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approximately 54 million residents of the United States feed wild birds at backyard feeders. This is important due to the fact that our environment has changed drastically over the last fifty years. Not only do wild birds have to deal with loss of habitat, they must also compete with birds like starlings and house sparrows that are not native to North America.
Feeders provide a supplement to natural food supplies for wild birds. Rarely do they comprise the bulk of their diet. In general, wild birds depend on foods they find away from bird feeders and they find them with incredible efficiency. If all supplemental feeding stopped overnight, there would probably not even be a noticeable decline in bird populations and the joy of introducing children and adults to bird watching is reason enough to attract wild birds to backyard feeders. There are several good reasons to feed wild birds year round.
Early spring is an important season to feed wild birds because most of their preferred natural foods have been consumed during the winter. Backyard food supplies along with fresh water are especially attractive to migrating birds because of the incredible amount of energy needed for their migration. Your supplemental feeding station will provide useful refueling stations for these birds. If other requirements exist in your backyard, the availability of a constant supply of food and water may entice nesting birds to breed on your property. An ample food supply is necessary for birds to attain breeding condition.
Summer is the season of greatest natural food supply for wild birds but it is also the time of their greatest need. With a nest of rapidly growing young, the parent birds must feed themselves and their offspring. During this rapid growth phase of young birds they need high protein diets. This is why most birds feed their young a diet of mostly insects. A suet feeder containing a mixture of one part peanut butter, four parts corn meal, one part flour and one part vegetable shortening will help supply the parent birds and their young the protein they need. Mealworms are also an excellent source of protein during this time.
Summer feeding can also attract fruit eating birds as well as seed and insect eating species. Overripe fruits and bananas are favorites. You can cut fruit open showing the inside and put them on trays or feeding spikes. This is also the season for feeding nectar eating birds. According to the Audubon Society, at least 53 bird species in North America are known to visit sugar water feeders. They consume the same sugar solution as the hummingbirds do.
Even though natural foods such as fruits and insects are abundant in the fall, this is also a season of great food demand. Bird populations are at high levels due to their new crop of fledglings. A protein rich diet of insects is important as most birds replace all of their feathers before migrating. These migratory birds must also put on ample fat to power their long migrations.
Sunflower seed and Nyjer seed are both oil-rich seeds that will help birds increase their body fat. Also by feeding birds in early fall you may have a better chance of seeing fall migrants.
Winter is the most difficult season for birds living in the north. The cold weather and short days mean they need more food and have less time to forage for it. At the same time natural food sources are scarce. During this time of year supplemental feeding is most useful to wild bird populations. Both seed and suet should be provided during the winter months along with fresh water.
My strong advice is to keep your bird feeders full all year. You will be helping many wild birds on their migratory flights and supporting the resident birds in your area as well.
Larry Jordan has been bird watching for many years and building birdhouses for over 26 years. He is a member of the Audubon Society and is the Shasta County Coordinator for the California Bluebird Recovery Program. He strives to get more people interested in birding activities, including bird conservation.
For more information on bird watching, bird houses, feeding wild birds, birds in the news, bird conservation, and some great bird photos go to The Birder's Report and sign up for his newsletter or his RSS Feed.
If you are looking for quality bird and birding products, please visit his online store at Birds In My Yard for some great deals and great service.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_A_Jordan
For more interesting ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Families And Birdwatching - Perfect Together
By Carol A Miller
Worried about how much time your child spends in front of the computer and TV? Wondering how you can entice them to get outside once in a while? Consider a family birdwatching outing - a great way to get outdoors, learn about nature, have a fun day, and maybe even develop a new shared passion!
Few realize this, but birdwatching is America's number one sport, with over 51.3 MILLION participants, according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Many birders are passionate fans, people who get estatic over seeing an unusual specimen, but the majority of birders are regular folks who just love birds and being outside.
If you've never been out birdwatching before, you're in for a treat. Find yourself a wooded park, equip everyone with inexpensive binoculars (sharing is no fun - by the time you switch who has them, the target has often flow away), and get a basic field guide to the birds of your region.
Take a notepad along, and start what is known as a "lifelist". This is simply a list of birds you have seen and identified, usually along with the date and location of the sighting. Kids love this - everytime they see a new bird they get to add it to the list, making each new sighting a thrill.
There are a few basic guidelines to follow when birding:1 - don't take the dog - the noise will scare away most of your chance of seeing anything interesting2 - do talk quietly, for the same reason3 - do take binoculars, an essential piece of equipment4 - do take a field guide so you can identify the birds you spot5 - do encourage everyone to start and maintain a lifelist - kids will like putting this onto a computer, where they can easily sort to see if a bird is new on their list6 - if you have a backyard, do put out feeders and birdhouses - you can see some great birds without even leaving the house!7 - do use your ears - when you listen, you'll be able to spot birds you wouldn't have otherwise noticed8 - do encourage your kids to learn more about birds online - there are wonderful sites to help identify birds or just play bird games9 - do read books on bird behaviors together - birds are fascinating creatures, and the more you discover about them the more fun birdwatching becomes10 - do go out in the winter and early spring - you may have to bundle up, but without leaves on the trees you can see the birds much more easily.
Birdwatching is an active, educational, sport that gets more enjoyable as you learn about it. Kids and adults alike get a real thrill out of adding a new sighting to their lifelists. So grab your binoculars, field guide and notebook, take your family, and go spot some birds!
Carol Miller is an internet author, entrepreneur and avid birder. You can find great stuff for kids, including young reader field guides bird books, puzzles, facts and games at her website, http://www.birdingresources.com/. Be sure to sign up for the free Birding Event Notifier and find out what's happening in the wild bird world!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_A_Miller
For more info on birdwatching together go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Worried about how much time your child spends in front of the computer and TV? Wondering how you can entice them to get outside once in a while? Consider a family birdwatching outing - a great way to get outdoors, learn about nature, have a fun day, and maybe even develop a new shared passion!
Few realize this, but birdwatching is America's number one sport, with over 51.3 MILLION participants, according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Many birders are passionate fans, people who get estatic over seeing an unusual specimen, but the majority of birders are regular folks who just love birds and being outside.
If you've never been out birdwatching before, you're in for a treat. Find yourself a wooded park, equip everyone with inexpensive binoculars (sharing is no fun - by the time you switch who has them, the target has often flow away), and get a basic field guide to the birds of your region.
Take a notepad along, and start what is known as a "lifelist". This is simply a list of birds you have seen and identified, usually along with the date and location of the sighting. Kids love this - everytime they see a new bird they get to add it to the list, making each new sighting a thrill.
There are a few basic guidelines to follow when birding:1 - don't take the dog - the noise will scare away most of your chance of seeing anything interesting2 - do talk quietly, for the same reason3 - do take binoculars, an essential piece of equipment4 - do take a field guide so you can identify the birds you spot5 - do encourage everyone to start and maintain a lifelist - kids will like putting this onto a computer, where they can easily sort to see if a bird is new on their list6 - if you have a backyard, do put out feeders and birdhouses - you can see some great birds without even leaving the house!7 - do use your ears - when you listen, you'll be able to spot birds you wouldn't have otherwise noticed8 - do encourage your kids to learn more about birds online - there are wonderful sites to help identify birds or just play bird games9 - do read books on bird behaviors together - birds are fascinating creatures, and the more you discover about them the more fun birdwatching becomes10 - do go out in the winter and early spring - you may have to bundle up, but without leaves on the trees you can see the birds much more easily.
Birdwatching is an active, educational, sport that gets more enjoyable as you learn about it. Kids and adults alike get a real thrill out of adding a new sighting to their lifelists. So grab your binoculars, field guide and notebook, take your family, and go spot some birds!
Carol Miller is an internet author, entrepreneur and avid birder. You can find great stuff for kids, including young reader field guides bird books, puzzles, facts and games at her website, http://www.birdingresources.com/. Be sure to sign up for the free Birding Event Notifier and find out what's happening in the wild bird world!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_A_Miller
For more info on birdwatching together go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Monday, June 15, 2009
Birdwatching Digital Camera Binoculars - Are They For You?
By Kelvin Ho Wee Min
If you enjoy bird watching, you will no doubt be looking for the best ways to look for all of the different species around today. Ordinary binoculars are great but they do not always offer the best results and smaller birds that like to stay as hidden as possible could be harder to spot. So, if you are looking for the best binoculars to suit your bird watching needs, you may want to think about digital camera binoculars.
What Are Digital Camera Binoculars?
As time goes on, technology generally improves and the great news for birdwatchers is that binoculars have been part of this technological improvement. These new digital camera binoculars are surprisingly inexpensive and they really help you to not only see the different species of birds clearly but also help you to capture it on camera to treasure forever. This makes them perfect if you want to go traveling and you see different species in different countries.
Another great advantage with these types of binoculars is the fact that as well as being able to capture digital pictures, it can also capture video too. So, you could go home with a short video clip of various different birds that you have seen on your travels. What more could a birdwatcher want?
How to Choose the Best One for Your Needs
As there are so many different types of such binoculars around, you will need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to choose the right ones for you. There are various things which you will need to take into account including:
Video Capture Options
Your Budget
LCD Display
Resolution
Objective Lens size
The above are just some of the things that you will need to think about. Obviously not everyone will need video capture options and if you do not, that will lower the price that you will have to pay. Obviously, the more features that the binoculars have, the more expensive they will be. So, be sensible in what you are after and think about how often you are likely to use them.
Fortunately as mentioned earlier, digital camera binoculars are getting cheaper with new advancements in technology and this is very good news.
If you know what you are need, it will be easy to find the right digital camera binoculars to suit your needs. Every keen birdwatcher should have a pair and they are incredibly easy to find. So, if you haven't thought about purchasing any of these yet, you may want to think about it now!
Discover the joy of bird watching and learn what the best bird watching holiday destinations with our comprehensive bird watching package.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Ho_Wee_Min
For more on Digital Camera Binoculars go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
If you enjoy bird watching, you will no doubt be looking for the best ways to look for all of the different species around today. Ordinary binoculars are great but they do not always offer the best results and smaller birds that like to stay as hidden as possible could be harder to spot. So, if you are looking for the best binoculars to suit your bird watching needs, you may want to think about digital camera binoculars.
What Are Digital Camera Binoculars?
As time goes on, technology generally improves and the great news for birdwatchers is that binoculars have been part of this technological improvement. These new digital camera binoculars are surprisingly inexpensive and they really help you to not only see the different species of birds clearly but also help you to capture it on camera to treasure forever. This makes them perfect if you want to go traveling and you see different species in different countries.
Another great advantage with these types of binoculars is the fact that as well as being able to capture digital pictures, it can also capture video too. So, you could go home with a short video clip of various different birds that you have seen on your travels. What more could a birdwatcher want?
How to Choose the Best One for Your Needs
As there are so many different types of such binoculars around, you will need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to choose the right ones for you. There are various things which you will need to take into account including:
Video Capture Options
Your Budget
LCD Display
Resolution
Objective Lens size
The above are just some of the things that you will need to think about. Obviously not everyone will need video capture options and if you do not, that will lower the price that you will have to pay. Obviously, the more features that the binoculars have, the more expensive they will be. So, be sensible in what you are after and think about how often you are likely to use them.
Fortunately as mentioned earlier, digital camera binoculars are getting cheaper with new advancements in technology and this is very good news.
If you know what you are need, it will be easy to find the right digital camera binoculars to suit your needs. Every keen birdwatcher should have a pair and they are incredibly easy to find. So, if you haven't thought about purchasing any of these yet, you may want to think about it now!
Discover the joy of bird watching and learn what the best bird watching holiday destinations with our comprehensive bird watching package.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Ho_Wee_Min
For more on Digital Camera Binoculars go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
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