Beginner Birding

A Brief Guide to Begin Birding!
What Is Birding?	Why Do I Like Birding?	How Do I Start Birding?	References
What is birding? Birding, or bird watching, is a very simple hobby in concept. You go outside and look for birds. Often time birders will bring cameras and binoculars to help identify small and/or distant birds and photograph them. It's a very relaxing hobby, though sometimes it can also be frustrating. Most birds are small, others are skiddish, some are fast, and most have a combination of a few, if not all, of these traits. This can lead to a difficult and troublesome time trying to get the best angle of whatever bird you're looking at.	This is a cropped photo of a bird I took in my yard a few years ago. The bird was very small, quick, and far enough away to where taking a good photo was near impossible.
A photo of Sleeping Giant State Park I took. I like to go here in the spring and summer to birdwatch. It's right near my house and it's very quiet on the side trails. Perfect for birdwatching. A very rare and exciting bird I got in my yard a few years back. This is the European Goldfinch, native to Europe. He somehow made his way across the atlantic into my yard. I did not have him on my list of birds because I did not know it was possible for them to accidentally wind up in North America.	Why Do I Like Birding? I like birding because it's fun to go out and see some new birds and/or birds you rarely see. It also provides a wonderful escape from the crazy world we live in. For just a couple hours, your biggest worry can be if the bird you're looking at will hop to a lower branch so you can get a better photo of it. Birding is also rewarding! You can make a list of birds you'd like to see during your session. Seeing a bird you love or was hoping to see is very satisfying! It's even better if you can take a good photo to show your family.
How Do I Start Birding? Quite simply, go outside! In its simplest form, all it takes go start birding is to walk outside! However, if you want the more true birding experience, it's recommended you first buy a pair of binoculars. The size of the binoculars doesn't matter all that much. If you're on a budget, buy a small pair, but if you're feeling daring, buy a big pair! No bird will be able to escape your eagle vision! If you want to take photos of the birds you find, while you could use a phone, small and far away birds will be very difficult to capture. It's recommended you buy a more professional camera. If your camera is good enough, you may not even need binoculars! I personally use a Nikon camera with a very impressive zoom, so my camera acts as my pair of binoculars. If you live in a city or center of town, while birding is still possible, the possible birds to see will be very limited. It's best to find a local state park. An important tool for identifying birds is a bird book! How will you know what you're looking at? If you're just starting out, I'd recommend a bird book that has all the birds in your state.	The camera I use is a Nikon D5100, though I use a different lens barrel than the one shown in this image.
Link to Birding Essentials Nikon's Website The Audubon's Guide To Binoculars Audubon Society
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