Adventure Ed never... I also haven’t specifically paid attention to wearing another colour & comparing experiences. It’s a difficult thing to do since each and every bird, animal etc is different and some are cautious, some are comfortable near humans.
Adventure Ed suppose for owls blending in is better- being quiet and cautious as not to disrupt roosts is important especially for smaller owls during the daytime. They can easily become prey to larger owls and raptors. Good idea to move slow as to not scare them. They will see you long before you see them- but if you get to close without being aware you risk them flushing & becoming endangered
On tip 5- birding with experts... it can sometimes be intimidating, especially for newer birders. What worked for me was going on regular walks that occur in the same place every week/month and going on local bird club trips. You meet a mix of experts and people closer to your experience level. Plus, asking questions about ID in the field and then re-explaining that to someone else is very reinforcing! Tip 7 is a problem for a lot of otherwise "good" birders. They find something cool and then don't try/do a terrible job describing its location. I learned to point out birds by leading walks. For guidebooks, I agree on Sibley (especially now that the new app is fixed. But having a physical book to leaf through is a great way to learn birds passively. A lot of birds I ID'ed for the first time because I kept flipping past them in my Sibley Bird East. It's much easier than scrolling through an app IMO. And on wearing white... I don't usually worry too much about what I wear when I'm not on the clock (I'm an ornithology field technician) but I've met people who always wear white/light solid colors because it's easier to spot ticks. Plus, tuck long pants into socks and shirt into pants. I know at least 5 birders who have contracted a tickborne illness, including alpha-gal meat allergy!
really awesome points! never thought of white with ticks. it sure can be intimidating to bird with really advanced birders. That is why i think all birders should be especially polite to beginner birders so we do not scare away any greenhorns from the hobby
when you record the sound of a bird, before you stop recording, name the location, perhaps something about the weather, the vegetation and if the bird was close or far away, high up in a tree, in a bush or flying over (direction). that way, if you process the recording later on, you don't have to depend on your memory to recollect all the specifics
I just started and I didn’t spend near 200 bucks on my birdnoculars. I got the Bushnell power view 2s 20x50 for a little less than 70 bucks on Amazon. Phenomenal binoculars. Highly recommend.
I’m somewhat of a bird watcher 🤷🏻♂️ I been putting bird houses and only one roosting box on my 4 acres property. I get tree swallows that nest in the boxes when temperatures drop in the early spring. My nest boxes are meant for Rocky Mountain Blue Birds. I put a horse wire fence all around the property and now these birds can land. They eat the grasshoppers so I want them eating them so my wildflowers get bigger and native grasses. I put a nice real rock bird bath. It’s biocontrol 🤙🏽
I just found your channel and I am SO stoked about it. I am going to study Wildlife Biology in college and I am absolutely loving watching all your videos. I subscribed and turned on post notifications!
So glad I found your channel! Your videos are so engaging and easy to watch and learn. Just switched to a major in Environmental Studies and really excited about the fields of conservation biogeography and wildlife biology, definitely going to be watching more of your videos!
thanks so much for watching :) really means a lot. Unfortunately I have had no time lately in the past six months to post anything new, but I am planning on starting up a more consistent uploading schedule, and will post next week!
Came for the tips and was pleased with the jokes. Sweet Packers shirt, I wear mine in the field too. GO! PACK! GO! And go birding because it's such a great way to get outdoors and have fun. :)
I love this question! I think there are a number of ways to approach this. The first way is just to accept that some people will not understand and not care what they think, and if you are birding solo without them, good for you! The second way is to try to get people to go with you - in my experience, most people don't think birding is so bad after they have actually tried it, and some actually learn to love it. I think the best way to get people to try birding is to say that it relates to something like they already like. For example, I tell people it is a lot like hunting or collecting Pokemon. I also tell people it is just "hiking with a purpose"
Nutella Notella Which is why it’s a bad idea to point at the birds when in a group. I try to get people on a bird by using a clock reference (the bird is at 4:00, about two-thirds down the longest branch in that part of the tree, etc.). If it’s necessary to physically point out a bird, I use the outer edge of my flat hand-it’s a lot less threatening.
For beginning birders I would recommend that they locate their local Audubon chapter and join some of their group outings. It is always good for beginners to bird with more experienced people to learn as much as possible. When I started birding I also brought a good camera with a zoom lens on it because it is easier to ID an unknown bird from a photograph.
I'll add a couple tips: 1- every species is not in every place, but every place has some birds. Parks, Greenway, fields, roadside. Yes wild spaces are great, but even downtowns have lots of birds beyond pigeons and crows. Visit a neighborhood park or the local cemetery if getting out of town is not an option. 2- rare birds are always a treat, but the secret is to know the 100 or so common birds for your area, at least recognize them even if you don't remember their name. That way you can observe and appreciate their changes during the year and understand them the way you do a friend or neighbor, and this also makes it easier to recognize when a rare bird shows up because it is something you don't recognize immediately.
Once while birding with a group, I was wearing a mostly white hoodie with some bright colors designed to look like a NASA astronaut suit and a ruby-throated hummingbird flew up to me, possibly thinking I was a flower or food source! For me, spending time in the field has taught me the most! I can listen to bird calls all day long, but something about seeing the bird sing its song in the moment really helps me remember it. Great video!
that is fascinating! certainly possible they thought it was a flower. yes, time in the field is maybe the best thing you can do. thanks so much for watching!
Oh I really like your video… and I love the Internet and my phone with all the information I can gather I can’t believe it it’s awesome! I just started birding and I’m having a really fun time! So thank you very much and I do want to purchase a better pair of binoculars. Believe it or not I take my dog with me, and she is very quiet and peaceful with me while I’m watching👍🤩✌️🦅
Thanks for a great and informative video! Social media is really good for birding and I saw a post by a lady who was not able to get out much and she had photographed 42 species of birds out of her window of her home with a small point and shoot camera. Anyone can enjoy bird watching and photographing Birds.
I'm just getting into birding again after a busy life. What I am finding is the difficulty to see a bird for only a few moments and in those moments trying to remember enough information to make a decision as to what it was. Perhaps as you say with doing it more my brain will categorize them better or something. You don't mention the app, Merlin, but I love it and use it all the time, especially because it can hear better than I can. I guess I should mention that I am almost 70. You shared good information, thanks.
That’s why I always bring a good camera with a good telephone lens so if I can identify the bird, I can go back to my studio and check the photograph with Merlin Bird ID
on the clothing, i think it depends on the species! hummingbirds and cardinals seem very very interested in me when i wear brighter colors, but some others are more wary of me with brighter colors.
Hello 👋 Well i am a begginer and i live in india 🇮🇳 😅 so there are.not many new birds there are pigeon,crows and sparrows And i can't buy books for birding Only apps So pls reply Guve me suggestions for birding apps pls Reply pls
My assumption is that colours that are warning signs in nature (red, orange) or really rarely found in nature (bright blue) would startle birds even more than white.
Santee Lakes! Wow, it's changed so much in the last 10 years. Beautiful video and a huge variety of birds! And a GREAT start-up guide to picking up the birding hobby and community. Good work, Adventure Ed!
Nice tips-especially about the cell phone. Wow things have changed in the last 20 years. I've been birding for over 40 years. Old birder and new to RU-vid. I lived and birded for 17 years in China and just returned to Canada this year. Couldn't see RU-vid in China until very recently. I swear by Roger Tory Peterson's original A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America. Never heard of Sibley until very recently. Anyhoo, great channel, I will be following
Great tips Adventure Ed and thanks....but I have one as well....I could not afford the very best binoculars out there but I wanted them....so I bought the best second hand Leica trinovid ones I could afford (like half price on Ebay)....but to do that its worth taking the time to look at what else that store sells .....I chose a store that specializes in cameras and optics only with 100% customer satisfaction and I am really glad with the result....100% agree with your comments re: buy the best you can.
on the clothing, i think it depends on the species! hummingbirds and cardinals seem very very interested in me when i wear brighter colors, but some others are more wary of me with brighter colors.
I've been birding for a while but these tips were very helpful and taught me things. THANKS! Just a week or so ago, I learned of eBird you mentioned and find it amazing! Now I need to spend more money on guide books! LOL! Appreciate your work!
So I definitely agree that white in particular alarms birds, I photograph backyard birds from my family room and if I'm wearing a white shirt the call to flight is immediate. Also I believe eye contact alarms most creatures including humans.
I just found your channel and I am SO stoked about it. I am going to study Wildlife Biology in college and I am absolutely loving watching all your videos. I subscribed and turned on post notifications!
On some range maps, in addition to the colored area, there is a dotted line outlining an additional area. What is this? An area where you might se them once in a while?
Sorry for the late reply. Yes-usually that area is a zone where they have been spotted but only spotted very rarely. The color coding on those maps helps you narrow down the chances of seeing a bird you are trying to identify
I had to write a small essay on birding and i was looking up random videos. This is so comprehensive and so interesting. I just came for information but subscribed to your channel. Thanks
A great video; you have packed a lot into less than a quarter of an hour and it is all sound advice. Being a Brit with only a scant knowledge of American birds, I would love to see an annotated list of the birds featured in your video, but I realize that this might be asking for too much.
Manjot Singh Arneja If you know you’re going to stick with it and are ready to invest, I *highly recommend* Swarovskis, if you can afford it. If you can’t, spend as much as you’re able to get the best pair available in your price range-the payoff is huge.
excellent "you tube" video ED! I agree with everyone of your tips. I teach a birding class in Florida and have added your video to my pre class info for students to read and view b4 their first field trip.
Thank you so much for watching!! I really appreciate and am honored to have your video included in the curriculum. It really is a big honor! I have made a number of videos on tips, apps, books, and other things for birding, so feel free to check my other videos out if you haven’t already. I am also planning on making more birding videos. Again thanks so much for watching and sharing!!
Hi Eddie, This is my first visit to your channel. (but won't be the last). My tip is to bird a particular place repeatedly. You'd be surprised how birds just present themselves when you know your surroundings well. Have you done a video w/ helpful hints for finding a bird that is calling, sounds close, but you can't locate?
