Bird watching is a wonderful and very enjoyable activity to do during your leisure time. It’s a thrilling hobby that is enjoyed by many people all over the world. As some people might think, most bird watching enthusiasts don’t watch them for scientific or academic reasons; they actually track down various species of birds just for the sheer enjoyment that comes with it. Some do it just because they are lovers of nature and want to pass time exploring and admiring what nature has to offer. These days, there are even clubs and organizations that are devoted to bird watching hobby where like-minded people can gather together and share their bird-watching experiences with each other.
Using Binoculars to Get a Better View of Birds
Some people enjoy tracking down birds with their naked eyes but, in some situations, this can be quite difficult and having a good pair of birding or bird watching binoculars can make it easier. With a pair of quality binoculars, you will be able to spot birds and take your time to study each one of them up close without scaring them away.
There are numerous types of bird watching binoculars that are available on the market. It’s best to purchase a pair of bird watching binoculars that aren’t too heavy for you to carry while bird watching. Carrying around a big, heavy pair of birding binoculars while pursuing your bird watching hobby can be quite tiresome. A good pair of bird watching binoculars will not only magnify your view of the birds but it’ll also add some illumination in dark or low light place. It’s also good to buy binoculars that provide a large view of the birds. This will make it easier for you to view and study birds in flight.
Why Is Focus Important?
Buying a pair of binoculars with a good focus can increase your overall experience of bird watching in your backyard or on any excursion. The binoculars should also come with an easy to use focus mechanism since birds usually move fast and you might have a limited time to focus.
Your bird watching binoculars should also not alter the color of the birds or the birds’ surroundings. You want a pair of birding binoculars that offer you the most realistic view of these amazing creatures in their natural environment. If the binoculars distort or enhance the color, it may make identification quite difficult. Imagine looking up birds with purple stripes on their wings in a bird book only to realize later that the stripes were, in fact, dark blue stripes. You would be wasting your time, right?
Other Factors to Consider
1. Magnification – When choosing birding binoculars, check to ensure that the magnification is good enough for you. A binocular with 10X, 8X, or 7X magnification is okay. The higher the binocular’s magnification, the closer the view of the birds you will have. There’s one disadvantage of higher magnifications – it gives you a narrow field of view. So the best option is to select a binocular with medium magnification like 8X magnification.
2. Objective Lens Diameter – This is a vital part of bird watching binoculars as it’s the place where light enters your binoculars. So make sure you choose a pair of binoculars with big lens because that it will let in more light and make your birds’ color brighter and vibrant. It’ll also enhance the details of the birds and help you study them better. Unfortunately, big lens will add weight to your birding binoculars and make them too heavy for you to carry. Binoculars with forty-millimeter lens are just okay.
More on Bird Watching
You will have a great bird watching experience if you regularly go for nature walks in your home area. You can also find other like-minded people who are interested in bird watching. Consider joining a bird watching club or organizations and get to know other bird watching enthusiasts. You can also subscribe to a bird watching magazine or find out more information online. There are plenty of mailing lists about birding; just join one to get more information.
Birding tips
If you are a bird watching beginner, you’ll find it difficult to focus on birds quickly especially if the little creatures are flying. This actually requires practice. There are simple exercises you can do before going for birding trips. One is to look for flying planes then use your binoculars to find and follow a jet airplane across the sky. At first, you’ll find it a little difficult, but after few tries, you’ll get a much better view.