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Musing on birding as a hobby but... (9 Viewers)

Ajoten

Member
United Kingdom
Having proved extremely good at dabbling with various things (e.g. saxophone/archery/stargazing) without getting anywhere due to a lack of time, energy and discipline, I am put off "proper" birding by the following preconceptions:

(Given all I've ever seen in my garden are pigeons, starlings and robins)
  • In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
  • Similarly, best off driving a couple of hours away to find a location where get most bang for buck
  • Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past
I'm not against trying, just want to be realistic about it. Manage beginner expectations, as it were. Am I way off base with this?

Andrew
 
Hi Andrew,

Having proved extremely good at dabbling with various things (e.g. saxophone/archery/stargazing) without getting anywhere due to a lack of time, energy and discipline, I am put off "proper" birding by the following preconceptions:

(Given all I've ever seen in my garden are pigeons, starlings and robins)
  • In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
  • Similarly, best off driving a couple of hours away to find a location where get most bang for buck
  • Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past

Birds are everywhere, and once you're "bird aware", you'll notice more species in greater numbers in more places over time, nearby and at all times of the day.

Birding is compatible with other outdoor activities, it's not an exclusive activity. With regard to feeling like one is standing out when looking at birds ... you'll be suprised how many bird-aware people you'll meet, who will gladly share tips and stories about birds in the neighbourhood when they see you share their enthusiasm.

Get some binoculars and a field guide, and you're good to go. Once you're having fun, you might find your energy level increases all by itself ;-)

Regards,

Henning
 
In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
Well yes but no. It all depends on where you are and what kind of bird you're trying to observe. Of course you will get the best results at dawn or dusk, but e.g. diurnal raptors are easiest to spot during the day, and most seabirds and shorebirds can be observed all day long. I'd say birdwatching is a lot more compatible with a regular schedule than mammalwatching, and probably one of the main reasons why it's more popular. Plus, if you're interested in e.g. insects, plants, or reptiles, those can be observed during mid-day as well.
That said, if you can manage to be at one of the more interesting places at dawn once in a while, it can be an amazing experience and you may well spot a few rarely spotted mammal species in addition to birds.

Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past
Yeah, I can relate to that, and it's an issue when you're living in a densely populated area.
 
Hi Andrew and welcome to BirdForum. I enjoy birding pretty much wherever I am. Will often carry a pair in the car in case I see something on the way to work.

Rich
 
Having proved extremely good at dabbling with various things (e.g. saxophone/archery/stargazing) without getting anywhere due to a lack of time, energy and discipline, I am put off "proper" birding by the following preconceptions:

(Given all I've ever seen in my garden are pigeons, starlings and robins)
  • In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
  • Similarly, best off driving a couple of hours away to find a location where get most bang for buck
  • Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past
I'm not against trying, just want to be realistic about it. Manage beginner expectations, as it were. Am I way off base with this?

Andrew
Chances are if you're getting Pigeons, Starlings and Robins in your garden you're also getting other birds too (Blackbirds for one, maybe Dunnock, Sparrowhawk will be around somewhere, gulls will probably be around overhead no matter where you are). Once you stop and "really" look you'll be amazed by what is around. I'm in a very urban area with no gardens as such, and just a handful of trees visible from my window and have seen around 50 species from there - granted quite a few of them have flown over (including Osprey, White Tailed Eagle, Cormorant, Waxwings, Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin) and on my walk to/from work through mostly urban areas I've managed 70+ species (including Long Eared Owl, Crossbill, Nuthatch, Shelduck, Whooper Swan, Tawny Owl & White Tailed Eagle). Within the city of Dundee I've managed more than 150 species (including Red Backed Shrike, Ruff, Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Jack Snipe, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Rough Legged Buzzard, Taiga Bean Goose, Water Rail, Woodcock).

You don't have to get up and out early (though it can help as there is less disturbance) and you don't even need to head for hotspots. Work with what you have nearby - parks, any water - ponds, rivers, streams etc, and also graveyards, beaches, fields, wasteground. If you want to see particular less common species you may have to travel to see them but you might also find them closer to home somewhere where no-one is really looking (birders can be creatures of habit and flock to particular sites - lockdown etc has limited my travel but I've probably done more birding as a result and the results have surprised me).

It is easy to feel rather self-conscious standing somewhere with a pair of binoculars - be aware of your surroundings - don't point them towards anywhere where your behaviour can look suspicious (houses, anywhere there are children in your direct line of view etc), however you do (relatively) soon get used to it. Head for places where the proportion of people to birds is low and get used to standing around just looking, with/without binoculars up to your face. Use common sense and you'll be fine. I tend to keep my binoculars in my bag when I'm wandering down a street for example but once into a park etc, out they come.

You don't give any idea as to where you are, to be able to assess what you might realistically expect to see/hear without too much effort or give you ideas where to look. There may be local bird clubs/groups etc who can give you advice for local birding, or people posting on here/social media who can advise you (possibly even 'mentor' you?). If you can, learn songs/calls of some of the more common birds you might encounter - that can make a huge difference to what you see (YouTube videos can be a big help - as you get the necessary 'impression' of the bird without having to see/hear it yourself first). The Merlin app (by Cornell Lab) is worth downloading - it can be used in a variety of ways to ID the birds you run into (you need to download a 'pack' for your area to get up & running with it) but there is a lot of info included and it is free.

One last thing, - articles, books etc by David Lindo (The Urban Birder) can give you an idea of how to get started in seemingly less promising areas and his catchphrase of "Look up" is very apt (especially if you hear gulls, crows making a lot of noise, or see local pigeon flocks take to the air en masse - it usually means there's a bird of prey around). Any reasonably decent UK bird book is worth flicking through when you're bored, it is amazing how much info you absorb without really trying - you'll see a bird when you're out and remember that you saw it in your book so you can ID it later, even if you've forgotten the name at the time. Experience takes time to accrue but birding is worth putting in the effort for a number of reasons. It can be done almost anywhere, with or without optics.

Don't expect miracles the first few times you're out - yes, you'll run into the same common birds in the same places more often than not, but the more you look (& listen) the more you will see. Good luck. Enjoy.
 
Ah, thank you. (I realised that another of my fears is confirming that biodiversity in the UK really is in trouble...)

And you remind me... I used to see a cormorant (not being an expert of course, but pretty sure) occasionally on a building near Wembley on my way to work, struck me as rather incongruous!
 
Having proved extremely good at dabbling with various things (e.g. saxophone/archery/stargazing) without getting anywhere due to a lack of time, energy and discipline, I am put off "proper" birding by the following preconceptions:

(Given all I've ever seen in my garden are pigeons, starlings and robins)
  • In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
  • Similarly, best off driving a couple of hours away to find a location where get most bang for buck
  • Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past
I'm not against trying, just want to be realistic about it. Manage beginner expectations, as it were. Am I way off base with this?

Andrew

I suppose a lot depends on what birds interest you. I'm fortunate that for one of those that most interest me (hobby) I need go only as far as Hyde Park. The other bird I focus on (peregrine) can be quite easily seen in various locations around London. But I'm reminded whenever I look at many more commonplace birds (goldfinches, wrens, swifts/martins come immediately to mind, but there are plenty more - long-tailed tits, jays, etc etc) just how exquisite and fascinating they are in their own right.

Regarding time of day - although early morning is normally very good indeed, right smack in the middle of the day, when thermals are established, is better for seeing certain things. At this time of the year, and also in spring, migrating raptors will be moving through the London area, and more local raptors (peregrines, sparrowhawks) will also go on the soar. Most of what you'll see will be pretty well-known and familiar - there are thought to be some 30,000 pairs of sparrowhawks in the UK - but seeing one terminate its soar in a spectacular near-vertical stoop down into the treetops is still pretty exciting stuff. Likewise, I'm somewhat "meh" about soaring buzzards or red kites, especially in spring when they are regularly seen - but seeing a peregrine take exception to one of these and start flying rings around it, tying it in knots, is something else. I reckon sights like these can probably be seen from any decent large open space in the Greater London area; with any luck there'll be one much closer to you than a couple hours away.

As for looking like a tit - I wouldn't worry about it - there are lots of odd folks in London, and most folks won't give a toss. I've observed peregrines, binoculars pointed up at the sky, from locations where literally dozens of people were passing by every minute, and 99.9999% of those simply walked on by. You might get the very occasional passerby asking what you're looking for, but on being told you're trying to spot birds/planes/UFOs, most will politely move on.
 
With birding, you can just dabble, if you want. With archery and saxophone, probably not so much. I went cycling on the South Downs recently and saw some wheatear. I don't think they breed there, so must just have been on passage, and that made it interesting to see them. It wasn't a birding excursion by any means, but my knowledge of birds added this and other observations to the ride and made it more interesting.
 
As someone who’s dabbled in many things, and given them all up due to lack of dedication, time etc. I can tell you that birding isn’t an activity like that.

Birds are literally everywhere, once you become aware of them, you’ll notice them in places you never did before. I used to go to the seaside and the only birds I ever saw were gulls. Now I go and see all kinds of birds I didn’t even previously know existed. I once sat in a uni lecture in the middle of Glasgow and watched a kestrel hovering outside the window.

Birding isn’t a hobby you need to do ‘properly’ like learning an instrument. You can be a casual birder who just goes on walks and notices the birds in whatever place you find yourself. Get a pair of binoculars and a pocket bird guide, that’s all you need. Sometimes you might bump into other birders or occasionally someone might ask you if you’ve seen anything interesting. That’s all. Or you might become a twitcher who drops everything to go and see the latest rarity. If that’s your kind of thing, then that’s great too. It would require the kind of dedication you say you don’t have for other things, but birding isn’t an all or nothing hobby.

The only thing that really is important is that you like birds. Don’t overthink it. 😊

Nicole
 
Having proved extremely good at dabbling with various things (e.g. saxophone/archery/stargazing) without getting anywhere due to a lack of time, energy and discipline, I am put off "proper" birding by the following preconceptions:

(Given all I've ever seen in my garden are pigeons, starlings and robins)
  • In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
  • Similarly, best off driving a couple of hours away to find a location where get most bang for buck
  • Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past
I'm not against trying, just want to be realistic about it. Manage beginner expectations, as it were. Am I way off base with this?

Andrew

As with any hobby, you'd need to like birds first and foremost.

Do you see a bit of magic when you see a skylark in the sky, or astounding beauty in a little robin or a pair of stonechats, or can't help laughing when a woodpecker or some such pecks a smaller bird on the top of the head to get him/her off the feeder (probably not funny for the smaller bird) or find sparrows so endearing when they're frolicking in the water or marvel at a song thrush around May time who wakes you bawling his head off and is the first thing you hear when you return home after work? If so, you won't have a problem. It doesn't have to be about finding rare birds.

Obviously it really helps to find birds beautiful and their quirks fascinating and funny. I've been on a hunt for merlins for a few weeks now and it's quite remote and so you don't see much else there. They're there and the closest I've been is viewable without binoculars but not in photograph range. That's pretty much a whole day spent either walking or waiting, and over the course of a lot of days. What made it worthwhile was a pair of stonechats doing what they do, joined at the hip, absolutely stunning little birds as a pair. There will be long, fruitless days in search of a bird you want to see or photograph, and so you really need to like birds enough to be able to go home and think: "I enjoyed that", even though you saw a bird you've seen many times over and not the bird you were hoping to see.
 
@Ajoten - Did you end up taking up birding? I hope so, as it really is quite rewarding, for reasons others have noted. I started about a year ago, after letting my binos collect dust for years, and am so glad I did, as it's totally changed the way I see the natural world around me. One thing I've noticed is I am always pleasantly surprised during each birding trip. Quite often I'll head out to my local park expecting to see the same old species, but invariably will end up seeing or hearing something uncommon/unexpected.

The only knocks against birding are 1) it's addicting, at least for me (but I can think of worse addictions) and 2) you might pick up the possibly annoying habit of interrupting conversations to note an interesting bird you just saw in the corner of your eye (guilty).
 
The only knocks against birding are 1) it's addicting, at least for me (but I can think of worse addictions) and 2) you might pick up the possibly annoying habit of interrupting conversations to note an interesting bird you just saw in the corner of your eye (guilty).
er.... are you talking about me by any chance?;)
 
The only knocks against birding are 1) it's addicting, at least for me (but I can think of worse addictions) and 2) you might pick up the possibly annoying habit of interrupting conversations to note an interesting bird you just saw in the corner of your eye (guilty).

Oh, I've been shushed numerous times for doing the above ;) That's what happens when you are really into birdwatching.
 
Years ago I was heading back to Edinburgh Airport after a meeting, driven by one of the chaps from the meeting. It had been over two days and during the evening conviviality I'd mentioned - and explained, as best I could - twitching.

Halfway through the drive he suddenly said "You never stop, do you?"

Wondering what I'd said to upset him, I asked for clarification. He pointed out that while he'd been driving my head had never stopped turning, checking out every bird we passed. I hadn't even been aware of doing it, but he was absolutely right. It's beyond addiction.

John
 
Years ago I was heading back to Edinburgh Airport after a meeting, driven by one of the chaps from the meeting. It had been over two days and during the evening conviviality I'd mentioned - and explained, as best I could - twitching.

Halfway through the drive he suddenly said "You never stop, do you?"

Wondering what I'd said to upset him, I asked for clarification. He pointed out that while he'd been driving my head had never stopped turning, checking out every bird we passed. I hadn't even been aware of doing it, but he was absolutely right. It's beyond addiction.

John
What? You mean there are people who don't do this?
 
Years ago I was heading back to Edinburgh Airport after a meeting, driven by one of the chaps from the meeting. It had been over two days and during the evening conviviality I'd mentioned - and explained, as best I could - twitching.

Halfway through the drive he suddenly said "You never stop, do you?"

Wondering what I'd said to upset him, I asked for clarification. He pointed out that while he'd been driving my head had never stopped turning, checking out every bird we passed. I hadn't even been aware of doing it, but he was absolutely right. It's beyond addiction.

John
He should have just been happy you weren't the one driving!

Have to wonder how many accidents have ensued over the years from birding while driving :p
 
He should have just been happy you weren't the one driving!

Have to wonder how many accidents have ensued over the years from birding while driving :p
Been there too! A couple of weeks ago I was stuck in stop & go traffic (emphasis on stop) coming into the U.S. from Reynosa and finally decided to get my binos from the trunk to get a closer look at the hawks and caracaras soaring above. And... I saw my first Harris's Hawk. So it became bird & go traffic.
 
As someone else said, you're over thinking it. To rebutt your points...
  • In order to see birds of interest you might need to be up and doing early dawn or dusk and not the middle of the day
Birds are active all day long. Yes, they're more active in the morning, but I regularly get late starts or go birding all day. Sometimes my best birds are in the middle of the day.
  • Similarly, best off driving a couple of hours away to find a location where get most bang for buck
That just depends on what you want to find and see. Tons of people, especially you brits, love to have a patch right by the house that you go birding in over and over again. You get to know your local birds. Not your local species, but the specific individuals that live in your patch. If you're enjoying it, then sure, someday you'll want to travel to enjoy some different places. But you don't have to.
  • Feeling a tad uncomfortable, in local places where nobody stands about, standing about while loads of dogwalkers etc go past
Better stay inside the house and never be seen in public, because someone's going to think you're a weirdo. Seriously. Dogwalkers? A person that lets themselves be led around by a less aggressive wolf on a rope? Weird. The sooner you stop caring about what other people think and the sooner you start caring about what you think, the sooner you'll be happy.
 
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