One of the most exciting, interesting, and informative hobbies you could ever get into is the amazing world of birding. With more than 10,000 different species of birds all around the world, each and every one of them unique, you’ll never have to worry about this hobby running stale. If you want an example of how far this passion can go, in 2015 legendary birder Noah Stryker travelled the world and spotted 6,042 of a possible 10,400 bird species! You may not break Noah’s record, but anyone can get started with ease. Here are just a couple of things you’ll want to pick up as well as a couple of things you’ll want to keep in mind.
Get your hands on a quality set of glass
Even though some of the most experienced birders in the world are able to accurately identify birds from nothing more than a quick flash of colour and their song, the very best birders in the world have the very best binoculars. Top-quality glass is going to give you the opportunity to see every little detail of these birds while you’re out in the wild in a way that cheapo binoculars never can. Make sure that you invest in a quality set of binoculars, or you’ll regret it while everyone else is enjoying the wildlife in high definition and you’re stuck looking at a fuzzy picture!
You’ll want to be sure you have a local field guide
It’s also going to be critically important that you have a local field guide that describes all of the different birds in your local area. Interactive field guides that you can pull up on your smartphone are some of the most impressive, as you’ll be able to not only read more about these birds but you’ll also be able to look at high-definition pictures, video, and even listen to their song.
Think about joining a group of birders
Groups of birders exist in just about every single community around the world, so you’ll always have the opportunity to find yourself a group of like-minded individuals that wish to learn more about the birds in their area. Don’t be shy about seeking these individuals out and organizing trips together!
Don’t forget photographs!
Finally, you’ll want to consider taking up a couple of photography classes (specifically wildlife photography classes) so that you can capture those special moments out in the woods for others to enjoy as well. It’s one thing to see these animals through the lens of your binoculars, but it’s something else entirely to be able to freeze that moment in time forever. At Ritchie Feed & Seed, we understand the passion of birding. That’s why our garden store carries Ottawa’s largest selection of bird feeders to attract bird species native to the area like woodpeckers, chickadees, blue jays, purple finches, sparrows, and more.
