Birdwatching for beginners

By James Duncan

Wilder Communities Officer

You can find birds everywhere, on every continent, in every country and in virtually every habitat. Leaving aside the shocking fact that over a quarter of the UK's birds are now of the highest (Red) level of conservation concern and that overall numbers have dropped off the proverbial cliff in recent decades; you'll still be hard pressed not to notice one whenever you step outside your front door. Of course, you don't even need to do that to notice them through your windows. And there's just so much to notice. Whether that be the intricate complexity of their plumage or the nuances in their behaviour, each and every individual can be surprisingly unique. But how to get started?

Well, to cut a long story short, I'm sorry to say there isn't any kind of immediate shortcut to expert. In a world of instant gratification, a knowledge and familiarity of the kingdom of the birds is going to take time. But of course that's one of the things that makes birdwatching the voyage of discovery that it truly is. The learning process is never-ending, whether it be observing and noting pattern, colour, posture, shape and size or engaging another of your senses to listen to vocalisations - their calls or song. As a birdwatcher, each and every moment spent in nature will undoubtedly generate a greater understanding of the world they live within.

Of course, it's all too easy to turn birdwatching into a 'tick-box' exercise, but to do that is to miss the very essence of what makes it special. It might be hard to put an exact finger upon, but if you take the time to 'really' watch birds, you'll unquestionably be rewarded with some of the finest spectacles and experiences that the natural world has to offer. Is it essential to be able to identify everything you see? Not necessarily, though with greater comprehension comes greater engagement and with this comes a greater desire to protect. As we continue to wage war on the Earth's Biosphere, the need to protect is more critical than ever.

So, to get started on birdwatching, what do you need? Binoculars are a must. Whilst not advocating expensive optics as essential, there's no doubt that decent glass that works for you is critical. Not all binoculars work for all eyes and following the old adage 'try before you buy' will serve you well. A field guide is also going to be required. Attempting to commit approximately 280 regular UK bird species to memory without any kind of visual aid is going to make for rather a frustrating experience. Luckily, these days the wonders of technology have endowed us with both field guides and identification apps all within the space of a 7" screen nestled in your pocket.

You might think the primary and most immediate aspect to consider when spotting a bird is what colour it is. While clearly this is highly pertinent, it's worth pondering a few questions first; What family might the bird belong to? Duck, gull, tern, grebe, heron, thrush, crow, finch, warbler, etc. Or in a broader sense, what grouping of birds? Wading bird or bird of prey for example. This will rapidly and dramatically thin the potential options. Is the observed habitat for the bird correct? It's highly unlikely you'll see an elusive woodland species foraging on open coastal grassland for example. Does the observed behaviour match a written description? Behaviour is highly distinctive and frequently key to identification, ignore it at your peril. And is it reasonable? By this I mean, is its identification realistic. If you were to get a fleeting glimpse of a bird, look it up in your newly acquired field guide, but then presume it's something only recorded three times in the UK in the last ten years, as opposed to a species that's found extensively where you saw it - you'd have to say it's not wholly realistic. That's not to say that won't happen - after all, approximately 350 of all bird species ever recorded in the UK are vagrants to our nation. But perhaps better to err on the side of caution.

The size of a bird is also critical. Judging size from distance, in isolation, through optical equipment is a dangerous game to play. Any prejudice about the size will inevitably lead you astray. The structure of a bird, plus contrast and lighting on the day, can give rise to many an optical illusion. It's always worth comparing the size to something you already know, or ideally to a more familiar bird that happens to be nearby! Taking note of its most prominent features (i.e. learning some bird topography) and colours and patterns should then serve you well. It should, however, also be noted that some families of birds are significantly easier to identify and recognise through their song and calls. Fortunately this kind of sensory immersion can be achieved on every moment spent outdoors. Detecting a bird both visually and aurally can be the perfect way of creating a neural connection and committing it to memory.

Ultimately the number one thing required for birdwatching is curiosity. When this has been piqued, a passion often follows. If you'd like to progress your birdwatching journey and learn more, please do join me on 'Beginning Birdwatching at Rye Harbour' which will run for a single session each and every month. You can find out more details here