“I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Our everyday lives obscure a truth about existence - that at the heart of everything there lies a stillness and a light.”
-Lynn Thomson
Objective:
Set off for a day of birding.
Details:
1) Watch Birdwatching for Beginners with Barbara Hannah Gufferman and Two Tips for Beginner Birdwatchers from Stefano Ianiro.
2) (Optional) If you feel that you’d like a more thorough introduction, watch The National Geographic Guide to Birding in North America.
3) Find the Audubon Society chapter closest to you. Some chapters have their own websites, while others have only a Facebook page.
4) With help of the Audubon Society, learn about the “Birding Hotspots” in your area. Note: Please do not skip this step.
5) From this list you gathered with the help of the Audubon Society, choose an area to go birding in.
6) Gather your supplies. At the least, you’ll need a bird field guide for your area and a method for recording information.
7) Go birding! Head out for an afternoon (at least one hour) of birding. Do your best to identify and record each bird that you see. (At a minimum, make sure to identify at least one bird with your guide.)
8) Create and share a field report!
Please make sure to mention the following in your report:
-Your local Audubon Chapter
-Where you went birding
-A description of the day (Who you were with, the weather…)
-A list of birds you saw (At least one, and hopefully more, identified with your guide.)
-What you like(d) about birding
-What you found challenging about birding
Post your field report in the comments below.
9) Take a photo while out birding and post it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your photo in our Facebook group.
